Just a Mommy!

Well as many of you moms out there already know motherhood is life changing but I had no idea I would also have my status as a female changed. I no longer am a girl according to Keaton. I am just A MOMMY! In a conversation with my grown man at the age of three about who is a boy and who is a girl and so forth we get to the question of what is mommy? The answer is "OHHH, your just a mommy that's all"! I ask, " Is mommy a girl?" Response. " No silly mommy, your just a mommy, not a girl!!!" So there you have it, it explains it all! I guess it could be worse, I could have been a monster or something.

Keaton's Officially a Big Boy!

Well many of you who have kids will appreciate this and those of you who don't well just skip reading this altogether. The topic potty training and I can officially state that Keaton is 100% potty trained. He's been doing great since December but there were accidents and i was needed at every call of nature. Today it hit me.... My son no longer needs me to go potty! If I try and assist I am sent away as he states "Leave mommy, I need my privacy!" He just goes all by himself. I find out after the fact as he shares the wonderful experience with such enthusiasm. We have finally overcome the potty training hurdle. For those who have gone down this road you know and appreciate why this is so exciting and for those of you who have not forge this road as yet, well..... Good luck and just remember to have alot of patience as it's all about them and you can do NOTHING about it. I just hold out hope now that Ryan will want to be like Keaton and pick it up quick. Yeah right! One can only hope. For now I will just be thankful I only have one in diapers.

I also am please to report Keaton is back to being his normal agreeable self. For a while there I was ready to string him by his toes. He was driving me nuts. Testing every limit put in front of him and he was just plain infuriating at times. I guess it had alot to do with all the changes that took place with moving and not having a routine, a home of our own and ect.... We are finally settled and he is now so wonderful to be around again, even without the nap. That nap is now a thing of the past, but he seems to be doing pretty well without it. Some days by 4pm he's a bear but for the most part he's doing well. Thank goodness Ryan is still napping great. I need the two hours to clean up and rest from all the mayhem he has caused around the house. He is quit the go getter.

Successful Second day!

Just a quick post on Keaton's 2nd day at preschool. SUCCESS! No tears today and he said he had alot of fun and couldn't wait to go again. This of course was music to my ears as he has not responded so well to me leaving him before. Mrs. Straton and Mrs. Pomeroy have such a great day planned for them how could he not want to go back. I truly am blessed to have found such a great program for him. He's brought home beautiful art work that adorns our refrigerator, watch out grandparents some will be coming your way! He's such a big boy now, before I know it he'll be off to kindergarten.

On another note, Ryan and I experienced our first time with just the two of us for a few hours. It was weird at first, however we enjoyed our time and boy did it remind me how easy it is to have just one child. It's amazing how things change when you add another to the mix. Ryan and I did miss Keaton though and were excited when 11:30 came as things just don't seem the same without him.

Storytime Fun

The boys and I have been out and about since getting settled and one of our favorite things to do is to go to story time at the Holley Ridge Library every Tues. or Wed. Story time is SO much fun. Even crazy and busy Ryan is captivated for a whole 5min. (ha!). They read story's, sings songs, do puppet or finger plays, and at the end a craft. Free fun, I'm all over it!! My neighbor Kate and her 4 kids (yes, I said four!) go each week. Now that Keaton has preschool on Tues and Thurs. we are going on Wed. which is a nice way to fill up our Wed. morning. Keeping busy is the only way to stay sane I found. I was never able to do things like this before with the boys so I am really enjoying it and so are they. Ryan has really gotten interested in books over the last month. He loves turning the pages over and over. He does like to hear the story but only as long as you are willing to let him turn the pages and turn the book upside down every two seconds.

Keaton's First Day of School

Today was a big day at our house... Keaton's first dayof Preschool at Holy Apostles Preschool (http://www.holyapostlespreschool.com/). I have to say I was more nervous than he was. Only thing he said before we left the house was,"Don't leave me at the place,OK mommy!" Hmmmm..... With that I wasn't sure how things were going to go. Luckily the teachers were great and very experienced with this as she was at the door to take all the kids who were lined up to go into there rooms. She put his name tag on and and guided him in the door and off he went. No hug,no kiss, not even a look back. So much was happening I think he was overwhelmed and wasn't sure what was going on. All first timer moms and dads were asked to stay in the parish hall for the hour just in case things got hairy. This actually was a great experience as I got to meet lots of moms from his class and others with kids exactly Keaton's age. The hour passed quickly and It was time for pick up. Mrs. Staraton said he did a good job, he did have a crying moment once things settled down and he realized I wasn't right there. She said it wasn't long and he was singing,dancing, coloring and playing and had put those sad feelings aside. I asked Keaton if he liked preschool and he said " OH, Yeah, it was fun" and asked if he wanted to go next week he said "Sure do!" So I cross my fingers all goes well next week. Regular class hours start so well see what happens. My little man is growing up and it's hard to believe that he is as big as he is. I just have to treasure this time with my little men as it is going so quickly! I took some pictures with his bookbag on going to school so If I ever find the USB cable (it was in the fire) or get a new one I will post some pics. They are so cute.

Apple Pickin

Nothing says fall like a day on the farm and that we did. We hit the Happy Apple Farm (http://www.happyapplefarm.com/) for a day of berry and apple picking and lots of fun. I' m not a farm girl by no means but I have to say this place was pretty cool. First off, the drive to get there was amazing. The views of the mountains were breathtaking and if nothing else it was worth the drive. In the middle of what seemed like no where was this cute apple and berry farm. All you could see was rows and rows of apple trees, berry bushes and pumpkin patches. You take a hayride out to the middle of the farm and start pickin! You can eat as many apples as you wish and you fill your bag or basket as full as you want. You just pay for the apples or berries you want to take home. The cute little country store has lots of yummies to buy and outside large grills and cookers were cooking hot dogs and BBQ sandwiches. We spent the day with my brother and his family and had a ball. The kids had a great time, Keaton and Ryan now have tried every apple known to man. Ryan is also a VERY big fan of blackberries. We spent half a day wondering the apple farm and boy were the kids worn out !! Mom and dad too.

Home Sweet Home

After a long Friday night of tears and shock we headed back to our new home. We really weren't prepared to spend the night at the new place yet as all we had inside was paint and supplies but thanks to the kindness of my parents wonderful neighbors we had what we needed to make it thru the night until we got moved in the next morning and had a chance to hit Target or Wal-Mart.

Saturday was the big move in day and everyone insisted we stick to it and get it done, so that we did. With lots of help from all my family even my aunt Candy and Uncle Jan (who were visiting from Iowa) we were moved in, in no time flat. It was a somber weird day but under all the sadness and shock everyone was happy for us. It has taken time but we are slowly getting back to whatever normal is with two small children but I do feel we are about there. Boxes are mostly unpacked and things are getting organized. We have phone, cable, and as of yesterday we have the computer set up (hence I am finally posting again). I look around and cant believe I live here sometimes. There is soooo much room, going from 3 bedrooms to 5 is a shocker but i am NOT complaining at all. I have room to finally be somewhat organized for once. The kids have lots of play space up and downstairs which has made happy kids and a happy mommy and daddy!!!

The neighborhood has been wonderful thus far. My neighbors couldn't be nicer. Everyone has made it a point to introduce themselves to us and I have even been invited to a Silpadia party this Sat. by my neighbor next door. Another neighbor has made it a point to show me around town and to all the fun and free spots for kids as she has 4 kids ages 4,twins that are 2 and a 2 month old. She is happy to have someone to hang out with during the day and I'm am too!!!

Ben and I just feel so lucky that we have such a beautiful home and we hope to share it with all of you friends and family. It's bittersweet in a way as you all who are far away we would love to share it with you. So please take us up on our offer sometime and visit.

In one minute life Changes!!

Well, I don't even know where or how to begin what has gone on since my last post. My family has had the highs and than the lowest of the low happen all on the same day.

Friday started off like any other crazy morning with my family except Fri. the 17th was the highly anticipated day of our house closing here in Colorado. My mom watched the boys while we signed a zillion papers and we received the keys to our new humble abode! Yippee. Ben and I were beside ourselves with happiness, we finally could have a place to call HOME again. We headed home to get the boys and change into some painting clothes to finish the last of the painting before move in day the next morning. Having no idea that, that quick stop back at my parents to get changed and grab the kids would be the last time we saw my parents beautiful home ever the same again. Just before 6pm we started to clean up all the painting mess when we got the call that I hope to never get again. My dad called to say the "My house is on fire, I am so sorry I don't think you'll get your things out. Oh my god, I have to go!!". Well as you can imagine Ben and I about shit our pants and grab the kid and got in the car to head to their house. On the way we heard from my brother that lightening had struck the house. By the time we got there the fire was out but the damage was done. The house which had become my second home over the past few months now had a horrible burning, smokey stench, and was a complete lose. The lightening went thru the basement and out the side of the house and they think it caught mattress on fire on it's way out, which sent a inferno thru out the rest of the basement and smoke and fire thru the heating system. Everywhere there was a air vent was smoke and burnt carpet. Smoke damage was really bad. I am just thankful my parents are OK. Minutes before they were sitting in the living room and thank god they got up to do somethings in the kitchen or they could be injured or worse.

Later were were able to go in and see the damage and boy was it bad. It was like walking into another world. In some areas it looked just like it did before we left that day with a added layer of ash and sut and black grime and other areas were burned, and melted. Things like curtains were just burned to nothing as the rod was there but the curtains was gone. Keaton's beloved croc stuffed animal that is his lovey he sleeps with was laying right in the middle of the living room. Things all around it were burned but it was OK other than being a little black and stinky. We couldn't get it until they supported the floor in that area as it was caving in. Amazingly however the croc was sent away to some special cleaning place and it came back OK. Things like that just seem amazing to me.

Well to make a long story and lots that I could write about short. The insurance company has been wonderful and already have my parents in a beautiful rental home. They now have the long and daunting job of recovery however. The house will be gutted and rebuilt which will take until at least Feb. or March. Mom and dad are handling things pretty well under the circumstance but they miss their real home and everything that made it their home. Please pray for them as it will take time for them to recover mentally from all of this.

By the way we did move in our new house the next morning and more to come on that.