Our life the past couple weeks

The last couple of weeks have flown past, yet crawled by slowly at the same time. I've started my part time job, and for the most part, I think it's really going to work out well. I sure did love getting a paycheck. It's been a long time since that's happened! Less than a week left of going in everyday and then I'll switch to only going into the office ONE DAY A WEEK for 4 1/2 hours. The rest of the work I'll be able to do at home with my babies with me. Yea! It's been a bit tough going in everyday because that is so far removed from what our days are usually like and not what I want for me or my children, but that part is SOON over. Thankfully.


Everyone in the office has been nice and helped me learn what I need to know to do the work. No one has made me feel the least bit stupid for asking questions. It's been nice getting to know & work with new people, but I'll be really happy to be working mainly from home. Such a blessing for our family really!Last weekend my parents were in town because Dad had a conference here in Houston, so of course Mom tagged along! Tonight we ate with friends and enjoyed playing Wii music. Gracie went home with one of her little girlfriends from church to spend the night-her first Houston sleepover. I know she'll have a great time! We'll pick her up tomorrow morning around 11 and head to lunch with one of Chris's cousins who happens to be in town for the weekend.


Here are updates on my family:

Chris-
*He still likes his job but is really, really busy. This is actually a good thing I think because it seems to ensure job security in this day & age of people losing jobs right & left! We are still blessed that he is home typically by at least 6:00 each evening and off on the weekends and usually every other Friday. I'm thankful he enjoys being home with us and makes it a priority!
*He was like a little boy on Christmas morning last weekend when he finally got his big, new t.v.! He has been wanting one for so long, but in our effort to not buy things until we can pay for them, he has had to wait. He was happy (and I was proud) when he received a nice bonus at work, so off to Best Buy he went! I have to admit, Playhouse Disney looks pretty good on a 42" LCD television!
*He is starting to lead singing some at church. He did this a lot in Aiken but has taken his time getting into it here. They have quite a few 'regulars,' but he has led once on Sunday night and is on the schedule for some of the upcoming months. I think he's a bit nervous about leading on a Sunday morning in front of 600+ people!
*He continues to be a great daddy (Katie's hero actually!) and a wonderful husband of course. He works hard for us, and we appreciate & love him!

Gracie-
*Wow, she is changing. She is really turning into a 'big girl'-or so she thinks anyway. ;) She doesn't want princess or Strawberry Shortcake Valentine cards this year. I don't know that I would necessarily expect her to want that theme anymore, but it was just weird to hear her say it. Just another sign of growing up.
*She wants to be more independent and is really quite independent while always seeming to watch the limits-at least for the most part. Here's a funny story: at school, they had this program come called "Ned." I can't remember what it stood for, but something about not giving up and encouraging one another, etc. I guess there was something about a yo-yo involved with the program. I saw in one of the newsletters something about there still being time to order yo-yo's. I didn't think much of it and Gracie never once said anything about wanting to order a yo-yo. Well, today one of her friends brought her a yo-yo so she wouldn't feel left out. I guess there is an area of the playground where during recess the kids go to play with their yo-yo's. I guess this friend felt bad for Gracie not having one, so she brought her one. Chris & I both thought it was funny yet very characteristic of Gracie that she had never even mentioned feeling left out. Things like that just don't really seem to bother her. She walks to the beat of her own drum most of the time and is thrilled to have a friend to play with but will also be okay if left to her self for a time. On Wednesday nights lately, her class has been probably around 12-15 3rd-5th grade boys and then Gracie & 1 other little girl. I would think she would be intimidated in a situation like this. I would expect her to worry out loud about whether or not her friend was going to be there with her. However, she's not worried about it all. Sure, I think she wants her friend to be there and is glad when she is, but it's not something she worries about.
*She has been working on her multiplication facts and is not very happy about it! She loves reading & all those sorts of language arts activities, but math is not her thing. She does fine with it, but these multiplications facts are giving her a bit of trouble. Most of them she can eventually figure out; it's the speed she really needs to work on. The MEMORIZATION part-so she doesn't have to think about each problem.
*She came home with a progress report this week and had a B in Science. Hopefully she'll pull it up before report cards come out. Chris reviewed one of her papers that she'd had trouble with-ecosystems & habitats, etc. She had a test yesterday and said she felt like she did well. I have a feeling that she probably doesn't have as many grades in Science as she would in other subjects and since she kinda goofed on that 1 paper, it brought down the overall grade. I hope she brings it up to an A, but I refuse to stress her out over it. I feel like it's truly something she didn't understand and not a 'silly' mistake, so hopefully Chris reviewing the concept with her will help.
*Chris & I are trying to figure out how to handle some of her attitude. She is getting a bit sassy with us (8 going on 15!), but she's also demonstrating it some with other people-even other kids. I think maybe she thinks she's being funny, but it just comes out so rude. We've talked to her about it, but I think we're going to have to address it more directly. She really is a sweet girl who wants to do the right thing, so I hate to see her acting some of the ways she's acting.
*She continues to be such a sweet biggest sister to Ellie! She's such a help, too!
*She has started LTC practice. We're really excited to be participating in this for the first time. She is doing Bible Bowl, drama, & children's book. Bible Bowl is over the book of John, so they have started some pretty in depth reading & question answering in preparation for the event which will be Easter weekend in Dallas. We look forward to going to the event which we hear is lots of fun. We're planning to stay with Chris's brother's family Saturday night and spending Easter with them, so that will be fun that weekend too!
*She is such a blend of me & Chris, it's funny.
*She really is such an amazing daughter whom we love dearly and are so proud of!


Katie-*This girl is something else! She's awesome! She is hilarious-so full of drama & intense feeling. So funny! Seriously, if something undesirable happens-like the stool is missing from the bathroom and she needs it to brush her teeth....watch out! The waterworks start and the lengthy explanation of why she's upset. It's so funny. She was sad when Gracie left for her sleepover-"Gracie's gone!" (said in a wailing tone) So dramatic! She often says things about wanting her 'whole family' to be together forever-things like that. She definitely has some separation anxiety & is clingy at times.
*She is very into 'inventions.' She will take 15 big & little toys and put them together in a way that makes perfect sense to her and it will be an invention. She will tell you exactly in what order you have to do what with each toy and what it will "make"-play doh, water, milk, etc. She has also started drawing out some inventions in her notebook before she makes them. I tell you-this girl is SMART! She has great problem solving & critical thinking skills. I love it! Her humor is very sharp too which I think is great and shows intelligence. (I'm just a bit proud.)
*She is starting to turn into a bit of a perfectionist. She wants certain things to be 'just so.' She cleaned her room today without being asked to-and did a really good job.
*She is a pro at riding her bike with no training wheels which still amazes me! She likes to choose something to ride when we go get Gracie from school-her bike, the scooter, the tricycle, or her Big Wheel bike. The weather has been really nice in the afternoons, so it's made for nice walks to school.*She loves going to preschool now and is very diligent about emptying her lunchbox when she gets home and loves sitting down to practice writing her name for her 'homework.'


Ellie-*My sweet baby girl is just precious! She has 2 teeth which are so cute. She is sitting up really well and really enjoys her exersaucer.
*She is getting more variety in her baby food and loves her little meltaway snacks. She loves sitting in her booster seat at the table while we eat dinner.
*She smiles & smiles and it just warms my heart! I love to hear her laugh.*She is on the go! She isn't crawling, but she will roll & roll-so much so that I don't feel comfortable leaving her in a room alone for very long if she's not contained! We have low windowsills in the family room, and she has rolled over to them and tried to pull up and has started playing with the blinds! Here we go!!!!!!!!! She also made me feel bad for not vacuuming the other day when she started putting things in her mouth that she picked up off the floor. UGH!


Me
*I'm adjusting to having a job responsibility outside of our home, but as I said above, I think it's going to work out well.
*We are having dining room furniture delivered tomorrow! Yea!!!!!! Table & chairs only-a cabinet will have to come later.
*I am loving my babies (all 3 of them!) No matter how big they get-or think they are-they'll always be my babies. I think having to go into the office so much lately has really made me appreciate when I'm "just home" with them. It's like taking a deep breath and being so thankful that Chris works hard so I'm able to stay home with them! Such a blessing! Finding a job where I can make some money and only be away from them for 4 1/2 hours (maybe a little more this summer b/c of commute time) ONCE a week....wonderful! What are the odds of finding an opportunity like this? Such a blessing!
*I'm loving my husband!