As the end of the month draws near, I feel it is time to again update our much neglected blog : )
This month, moreso than all the rest, has been busy. I started working my 4:30am shift (normally I come in at 5:30am....!) and now get off a whole 30 minutes earlier...yay...but that still means going to bed early...ugh..7pm..yawn....yeah. So, thanks to our wonderful friends and family, I have been able to make it-and be quite rested, despite the crazy schedule. Thank goodness that Theresa lives with us, as she has made life quite a bit easier with Chris in and out of town. She is so good with Theodore that I never have to worry.
With my crazy hours, and anticipating snow, we decided to stay home for Christmas. (if it snows, my whole department-all 4 of us...are "on duty/call" to make sure the runways stay open at the airport, even if it is our "holiday" or "day off") Luckily, we did not really get anything to talk about. Last Thursday (i think-maybe Wednesday...?) we got a little freezing precipitation, so I was thinking....wow...it's going to be a long day....but luckily, we did not get more than that! I was happy, because I was really looking forward to finishing my shift and going home to spend the holiday with family. Chris was off for Christmas !! And my parents, two brothers, and Theresa were all here at our house for Christmas dinner. It was just wonderful to be home and have family to share the holiday with.
Theodore Update:
Well, he is growing so fast (like they all told me he would!). He rolled over a couple times now, but we are not sure he really knows how to do it continuously yet. But it is sure fun to watch him try! He is definitely teething...oh fun fun. We often find him with his hands in his mouth and fussing. We imagine that is "baby talk" for "Mom and Dad! my mouth hurts! I want popsicles!" But, despite the "teething toys" we have, he doesn't seem to like the cold on his mouth much yet. I'm sure he will grow into that too, right? So, instead, he puts anything he can find into his mouth...his hands, your fingers, burp cloths...etc. He hasn't figured out that his mouth is not as big as he thinks it is...but that's ok !
The last few days have been interesting. We think he is starting to transition to fewer naps. (rats! now I really have to find things to keep him busy!) A couple days ago, we fed him at 7pm, put him to bed shortly after 8pm-and he slept all night.....! wow! he eliminated one whole feeding! I guess he is getting bigger and needs the sleep, but wow! So last night, in the experimental stage again-we fed him a little earlier than that, and again, he went to bed about 8pm....and slept until 7am when I woke him up to eat! WOW! I just can't believe it....I think our son can out-sleep Chris! heeheee. So, if we are lucky, he will start going to bed about the same time I do at night : ) and then I can say that I go to bed after my son .... (oh so it will still be like 7pm...!)
Other than that, Chris is off on another adventure. He has had the priviledge of flying literally all over the world. He has yet to make it to Australia, but we are keeping out hopes up that maybe soon he will make it there.
Speaking of Chris...apparently it has been three years (tomorrow) that we have been married! wow! It feels like it was yesterday-and BLINK- three years go by! wow. So, cheers to my wonderful husband-who has made life wonderful and brought so much joy to my life. I know he has many years ahead of him of wonderful memories to make and I'm excited for each one of them.
Speaking of Traveling....
Theodore took his first airplane trip! We flew the airlines up to Chicago and then drove to Champaigne Urbana for my younger brother, Paul's, Graduation! It was a quick weekend trip, but we all had a wonderful time. Theodore even did really well through security, the airport, and even was quiet during graduation! I was so impressed. He had a blast playing with his aunt, uncle, and grandparents. Despite my "worrying" he did fine the whole trip and we all had a great time. We are looking forward to many more family trips.
Monday, December 27, 2010
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Finished Quilt, Clean Office,...what next?
So...where HAVE we been for the last month or so (since it seems I have only updated the blog about once a month lately!)
Well, Chris has been somewhere on the other half of the world (I cannot remember all the places off the top of my head, but I can tell you he can no longer count the different countries on two hands! He is still loving the travel, but hating the time away from home-can you blame him?!) We get to talk on skype often, so that helps make things as "normal" as they can be while he is away. Thankfully, he is able to be home for Thanksgiving (and actually was for Halloween too!)
Well, Chris has been somewhere on the other half of the world (I cannot remember all the places off the top of my head, but I can tell you he can no longer count the different countries on two hands! He is still loving the travel, but hating the time away from home-can you blame him?!) We get to talk on skype often, so that helps make things as "normal" as they can be while he is away. Thankfully, he is able to be home for Thanksgiving (and actually was for Halloween too!)
We were "Cow Pokes" (people who tend to cattle...I think that's right...or sometheting like that. We were cowboys and needless to say, Theodore is our little cow!
On Halloween, we enjoyed all the little kids coming by the house. I think I had the most fun, seeing everyone all dressed up! SOOOOO many cute kiddo's. Ah what a fun night.
As many of you may remember, I started a quilt some time ago (oh-shortly after we got married...so about 2.75 years ago...but who is counting? Oh-wait-the person who the quilt is FOR!) So...said quilt-the Crown Royal one- is now COMPLETED! Yes, after many years of procrastonation, a handful of moves, a baby, and lots of other distractions, the quilt is now finished. (YAY!)
As you may know, Robin doesn't ever seem to do things the "easy way," so I took a design I liked and extrapolated it...and of course I had to edit the dimensions, make a few changes, and va-boom: I had a design for a queen-sized quilt. Now, I THINK the request was for a lap quilt...but what fun is that? I mean, really-a Crown Royal quilt to me sounds more like an awesome comforter or something...so I did just that: Queen size quilt it is!
And I quote, " It was well worth the wait." (Clint Augustin)
Thank you, dear friend! Here is a picture of my masterpiece: (yes, it is on-of-a-kind, and no, I'm not taking orders!! heeheee)
Oh, and of course, he came to see Theodore too:
Since completing the quilt, I have been at a bit of a loss for things to do (ok-not really-there are LOTS of things to do-but where to start?)
This past weekend we went to a wedding reception and Carol and Terry came to town to watch Theodore for us (I think they were looking for a good excuse to see their grandson...do you blame them!?). It was our first trip leaving our little one and also our first time away from home together since he was born. And, as sad as we were to leave for a day, we were happy we did. Teddy had a GREAT time with his grandparents, and Chris and I had a wonderful time with friends and enjoyed not having to worry about if our little kiddo. It was a win on all accounts! Theodore was a little tired when we returned, but I know it's because he had such a good time playing with Carol and Terry.
This week, we look forward to Thanksgiving. Jeremy and Ashley will be coming to town to celebrate with us this year. Additionally, since Jeremy and Ashley don't get to see the family that much, Carol and Terry decided to come in for Thanksgiving dinner Thursday! So we will have a full house!!! In an effort to have a place to put everyone, we opted to clean THE OFFICE.
Now...this OFFICE has been on our "to do" list since we moved in. And actually-when I was pregnant, I moved a number of the boxes from Teddy's room to the office-since I was not going to be going through them for awhile. Well, the time came-it was this weekend or never. SO....we decided we could have some of our guests stay in the office-once it was cleaned, and the other guests stay in our guest bed downstairs.
This is the before picture....
AND AFTER:
There IS carpet in here! I wasn't sure there still was!
And one last picture of the family. SMILE! Although it is a little out of focus, I think it's a rather good snapshot:
Sunday, October 17, 2010
October...Already!?
Well apparently it's October. Wow...and Theodore is already eight weeks old....! crazy! What has happened in the past month? Well, here's what I can remember:
Jeremy and Ashely got married on September 17, which is Jeremy's birthday : ) He better not forget their anniversary!! Theresa took a few pictures and here they are:
Carol, Terry, Chris, Theodore, and I went to Missouri to visit Terry's parents after Jeremy's wedding. Theodore did pretty well in the car, and I was pleasantly surprised. Although, despite all the fun he had with his great grandparents, Theodore was ready to be home and get some good sleep in his own bed.
Speaking of beds...Theodore recently outgrew his bassinette. WOW! One day I put him down for a nap and realized that his legs were nearly touching the end. Luckily, Chris was coming home, so we were able to put the crib together a few days after that. Chris even got the mobile up so Theodore has something to look at : ) I haven't gotten a picture of it. It is funny...every time I think about taking a picture it is whe Theodore is sleeping. And of course, he needs his beauty sleep, so I will have to remember one of these days when he is awake.
In Chris' time home, he was not bored. He had plenty to do outside: the back yard-and re-planting grass. He spent a few days working hard to get the ground prepped and ready to plant the seeds. Here is a picture of him using the tiller:
The grass is just starting to sprout nice and green. I can't wait to see his hard work pay off.
Other than that, I have started back at work full time. We are having a love-hate relationship. I love working and the type of work I do, but hate being gone and the long hours. Although, three days in a row off are nice, but it is sad to say that I usually go to bed before Theodore at night....ah the perks of waking up well before the sun. What are you to do? In general, it is nice to be back and working hard. I love picking Theodore up and coming home to play for a little while before going to bed. And I always look forward to Sundays when I can spend all day at home, or getting some errands run in between naps and feeding time.
Oh, and here is one of my favorite pictures from the last month. Chris and Theodore are having a contest...who can go on for longer fussing?
And one last one of a Kansas State game day Picture:
Jeremy and Ashely got married on September 17, which is Jeremy's birthday : ) He better not forget their anniversary!! Theresa took a few pictures and here they are:
Carol, Terry, Chris, Theodore, and I went to Missouri to visit Terry's parents after Jeremy's wedding. Theodore did pretty well in the car, and I was pleasantly surprised. Although, despite all the fun he had with his great grandparents, Theodore was ready to be home and get some good sleep in his own bed.
Speaking of beds...Theodore recently outgrew his bassinette. WOW! One day I put him down for a nap and realized that his legs were nearly touching the end. Luckily, Chris was coming home, so we were able to put the crib together a few days after that. Chris even got the mobile up so Theodore has something to look at : ) I haven't gotten a picture of it. It is funny...every time I think about taking a picture it is whe Theodore is sleeping. And of course, he needs his beauty sleep, so I will have to remember one of these days when he is awake.
In Chris' time home, he was not bored. He had plenty to do outside: the back yard-and re-planting grass. He spent a few days working hard to get the ground prepped and ready to plant the seeds. Here is a picture of him using the tiller:
The grass is just starting to sprout nice and green. I can't wait to see his hard work pay off.
Other than that, I have started back at work full time. We are having a love-hate relationship. I love working and the type of work I do, but hate being gone and the long hours. Although, three days in a row off are nice, but it is sad to say that I usually go to bed before Theodore at night....ah the perks of waking up well before the sun. What are you to do? In general, it is nice to be back and working hard. I love picking Theodore up and coming home to play for a little while before going to bed. And I always look forward to Sundays when I can spend all day at home, or getting some errands run in between naps and feeding time.
Oh, and here is one of my favorite pictures from the last month. Chris and Theodore are having a contest...who can go on for longer fussing?
And one last one of a Kansas State game day Picture:
Monday, September 13, 2010
Social Butterfly...Who Would Have Thought?
Theodore has been quite a social butterfly over the past few weeks! He has gotten to visit Salina and Oklahoma!
We even had a handful of visitors come through to visit us, including my friend, Niki. She has twins who are exactly 1 year older than Theodore....! And her girls were no smaller than 8lbs EACH...needless to say, she had never seen such a small baby...! wow! I'm truly impressed--she holds the RECORD at Salina hospital for largest twins. What a champ.... Here she is with our little one:
Theodore even had some time to visit his GREAT Grandpa Benny. Needless to say, Benny enjoyed the visitor and even held Theodore for awhile. He said that I could leave Theodore there with him. I didn't think it would work out, but it was nice of him to offer to watch Theodore for us. Here is a picture of Wayne and Great Gpa Benny:
Oh, and my favorite milestone recently, Chris got to feed Theodore with a bottle! Needless to say, Chris really enjoyed that. (And I enjoyed the time off...now I get to go to bed early and he takes over the last feeding of the evening...I never knew that an extra hour of sleep would make such a difference! WOW it does...and I'm totally enjoying the 7 straight hours of sleep!!!)
We even had a handful of visitors come through to visit us, including my friend, Niki. She has twins who are exactly 1 year older than Theodore....! And her girls were no smaller than 8lbs EACH...needless to say, she had never seen such a small baby...! wow! I'm truly impressed--she holds the RECORD at Salina hospital for largest twins. What a champ.... Here she is with our little one:
Theodore even had some time to visit his GREAT Grandpa Benny. Needless to say, Benny enjoyed the visitor and even held Theodore for awhile. He said that I could leave Theodore there with him. I didn't think it would work out, but it was nice of him to offer to watch Theodore for us. Here is a picture of Wayne and Great Gpa Benny:
And one of their hands...aww!
Oh, on the road trip to Salina, I stayed with my sister, Karen and her husband Erik. Karen was kind enough to prepare a bed for Theodore (Drawer with pillow and blanket!! Worked PERFECTLY!!) Theodore slept like a Champ!
In the morning, I was going to get ready in the bathroom and I heard Karen go to check on him. Then I heard some russeling...I saw that she moved his drawer out to the living room...and was taking pictures of her nephew. She's not excited or anything....! hehee....But he sure is cute when he is sleeping. (I think Chris sleeps just like that...just not in a drawer! heheheheee)
Oh, and my favorite milestone recently, Chris got to feed Theodore with a bottle! Needless to say, Chris really enjoyed that. (And I enjoyed the time off...now I get to go to bed early and he takes over the last feeding of the evening...I never knew that an extra hour of sleep would make such a difference! WOW it does...and I'm totally enjoying the 7 straight hours of sleep!!!)
Other News:
We have new neighbors! Our friends from Salina just moved in 4 doors down....LOVE IT! So excited! With them moving, we helped unload some boxes into their house. Needless to say, I was thinking...hmm...we have lived here since this spring...maybe it's time to work on our office....
SO: tonight we got through at least 3 boxes (I stopped counting after 2). It was great...and amazing how much more room there is in the office without those boxes....
Now...for the rest of them...!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Busy Busy....and a NEW DISHWASHER!
Well, hello again friends!
Yes, life has been busy. Lucky for us, the Good Lord has his eye on me! Our friends, Kelley and Brandon are going to be moving into a house down the street from us!! YAY! (well, don't get too excited yet--but they will close on it soon) Lucky for me, Kelley has been able to be here all week : ) So, in addition to Aunt Theresa in the evenings, Kelley has been a HUGE help! (thanks!!) Between dinner, errands, and overall keeping me sane, I have had a great week hanging out with Kelley, Theresa, and Brandon.
Theodore had a few doctor appointments this week. He has grown 1.5 inches (already!) and gained 1 lb. I'm thrilled to hear that (as from what "the books" I read say...new moms often worry about little ones eating enough. Besides...it's not like they have a gas gauge...they really should...so when it shows "empty" we know when to feed them!)
Also, for the curious minds...we started using cloth diapers. Yes..cloth...
I'm impressed so far. We will use a combo of cloth and disposable-but so far, cloth has impressed me. I like the super absorbancy and they seem more "leak proof" than some of the disposables I have put on Theodore lately. Yesterday I had him in disposables while I was out and about...needless to day while he was being held by a few of his new friends, he peed on them...oops...! Well, That's how he greets people he really likes, I suppose! Also, He likes to "slime" people (as I like to call it) with spit up. Lucky us...
Other things going on:
NEW DISHWASHER!
Like other things that have broken (air conditioner.....ugh!) Our dishwasher stopped working the other day. Lucky for me, I had extra help in the house, but none of us were a fan of doing the dishes ALL the time. SO...with the Labor Day sales, we were able to go to Lowe's and find one on sale...and have it installed yesterday. The dishwaser is QUIET and BEAUTIFUL and MAGNETIC! From the time we were married, we never had a dishwasher with a magnetic front...they were all rental houses and had plastic-so now I can get the ABC magnets for Theodore to play with on the dishwasher : )
Yes, life has been busy. Lucky for us, the Good Lord has his eye on me! Our friends, Kelley and Brandon are going to be moving into a house down the street from us!! YAY! (well, don't get too excited yet--but they will close on it soon) Lucky for me, Kelley has been able to be here all week : ) So, in addition to Aunt Theresa in the evenings, Kelley has been a HUGE help! (thanks!!) Between dinner, errands, and overall keeping me sane, I have had a great week hanging out with Kelley, Theresa, and Brandon.
Theodore had a few doctor appointments this week. He has grown 1.5 inches (already!) and gained 1 lb. I'm thrilled to hear that (as from what "the books" I read say...new moms often worry about little ones eating enough. Besides...it's not like they have a gas gauge...they really should...so when it shows "empty" we know when to feed them!)
Also, for the curious minds...we started using cloth diapers. Yes..cloth...
I'm impressed so far. We will use a combo of cloth and disposable-but so far, cloth has impressed me. I like the super absorbancy and they seem more "leak proof" than some of the disposables I have put on Theodore lately. Yesterday I had him in disposables while I was out and about...needless to day while he was being held by a few of his new friends, he peed on them...oops...! Well, That's how he greets people he really likes, I suppose! Also, He likes to "slime" people (as I like to call it) with spit up. Lucky us...
Other things going on:
NEW DISHWASHER!
Like other things that have broken (air conditioner.....ugh!) Our dishwasher stopped working the other day. Lucky for me, I had extra help in the house, but none of us were a fan of doing the dishes ALL the time. SO...with the Labor Day sales, we were able to go to Lowe's and find one on sale...and have it installed yesterday. The dishwaser is QUIET and BEAUTIFUL and MAGNETIC! From the time we were married, we never had a dishwasher with a magnetic front...they were all rental houses and had plastic-so now I can get the ABC magnets for Theodore to play with on the dishwasher : )
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Week 1: Success!
Well, we have survived our first week of being parents...!
Our little boy is doing well, eating and sleeping lots. (well, he's sleeping in spurts, but getting more sleep than Chris and I, so at least one of us is well rested!)
I have to admit, we are extremely blessed. My water broke early in the morning last week and Chris was able to be here for Theodore's birth.(We call him Theodore or Teddy...but some of the family prefers Theo...all are ok with us!!) He has been such a wonderful suppor through this whole process, not to mention our wonderful family and friends who were able to be near us this past week. Thanks to everyone !!
Here are a few quick pictures:
And our going home picture...He is all dressed up and cute:
Got his mittens, hat, and warm clothes on:
Here's one of the Grandparents...
Our little boy is doing well, eating and sleeping lots. (well, he's sleeping in spurts, but getting more sleep than Chris and I, so at least one of us is well rested!)
I have to admit, we are extremely blessed. My water broke early in the morning last week and Chris was able to be here for Theodore's birth.(We call him Theodore or Teddy...but some of the family prefers Theo...all are ok with us!!) He has been such a wonderful suppor through this whole process, not to mention our wonderful family and friends who were able to be near us this past week. Thanks to everyone !!
Here are a few quick pictures:
And our going home picture...He is all dressed up and cute:
Got his mittens, hat, and warm clothes on:
Here's one of the Grandparents...
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Baby Brain, Visitors, and LOTS of Pictures!!
The past few weeks have flown by...why does it seem like I am always saying that?!
I have gotten to enjoy so many things, so as I think of them, I will try to include them here.
(as I am getting more forgetful by the day! Last night I was at Target with Carol...and we saw someone who looked rediculously familiar. He had a little girl in his cart and I was like-That is Maddie...hmm...what's his name....Matt. yes...NO...wait...MMMMMM ...grr it starts with an M....what is it!? He works with Karen and I can't REMEMBER WHAT HIS NAME IS! grr...Needless to say he was kind enough to remind me that it is Mike. AH ! Mike! Shep! Someone please tell me this "baby brain" thing gets better....right? Well....maybe I will recover slowly)
Let's start with some pictures:
This is myself and one of my best friends' (Brittany's) kiddo, Brandon. The last time I saw him I think it was for his 4th birthday. WOW he has grown and reminds me OH so much of her...it's amazing. And look how handsome he is! Well, I suppose I should say this photo is me, my baby, and Brittany's baby!
OK, One with silly faces: (because it is hard to get that goofy kid to sit still and not be silly...I mean come on...he is like 7 now, and very adorable!)
Look Brittany, Aaron and I both have goatee's on our faces! (oh wait, Brandon's is just ice cream...!)
As you can see above, I was able to spend some time with Brittany (best friend from grade school) and Aaron (a friend from high school) little boy, Brandon. It was wonderful to see both Aaron and Brandon again. Maybe sometime I will get to see Brittany again....(I can only hope!)
In my absence of blogging over the past few weeks, I have taken a few photos (remember, there are 40 weeks to be full term...so we are getting close...and in any "normal" pregnancy-baby can be born at 37 weeks...so it could really be any time now!):
36 Weeks
37 Weeks
In addition to a growing belly, has been me missing the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, the Future Astronaut Training Program Camps! So...I got word that there was a "25 year reunion" happening a few weeks ago. REALLY!? Funny...I haven't heard anything...maybe I missed an email...? Well, regardless, I did find out about it in time, but was only able to make it to the Sunday rocket launch. It was not as big of an event as I was expecting...but there were a few familiar faces-and we had a good time. I watched the rockets go and reminisced about the "good ole days" and many memories I had from my camping days. I remembered how the Cos (pronounced Cuh-awww-zzzz) (as we used to call it) was the first time I really realized my love of aviation and space. And, some of my friends from today go back to the Cos and my camper days.
They even gave me an "up front seat" in what I jokingly called the "box office" where the 5 individuals would arm their rocket and then count down and launch it.
This is the launch pad:
The enthusiasts who were able to attend this reunion event:
And 2 of my favorite people: Kate and Tom. I worked with them while I was an employee of the Cos and was EXCITED to see two friends still living the dream and inspiring young astronauts, engineers, and everything in between! (I was once inspired at the Cos...and then went on to Kansas State University Salina to be a pilot...and came back to be a counselor for 2 years...and inspired a few of the young minds myself. Now some of those minds are becoming pilots...and the trend continues. What a fantastic opportunity!)
Last weekend was the rocket launch and in addition to that excitement, we had visitors! Can you name that happy engaged couple?
And look, they brought their "fur baby", Charlie with them. She enjoyed getting out of the car on their stop. Even though she is a basset-something mix, she thinks she is a lap dog. Well, Charlie, my lap is still occupied with baby, so there is no room on my lap for you. Sorry!
And here is a quick pic of all of us:
Robin (and baby), Theresa, Ashley, and Jeremy
We were so excited to see them and be able to have lunch while they were here. They went home to Leoti, KS for the FAMOUS fair with 25 cent rides. I was sad to miss it this year, but I have learned that pregnant people do not do well on long car rides, nor in the heat. So this year I sat it out and am hopeful for next year.
Last item for today's post: Where was Chris in the last photo? Good question. See if you can guess where he has been over the past few weeks:
Clue 1:
Clue 2:
Clue 3:
Clue 4:
Clue 5: I think this last one gives it away...
ANSWER: Vegas and Hawaii!
And we look forward to him coming home late this week. :-) Hopefully baby will be here shortly after his arrival to meet him too...we can only hope! (Chris will be home for a couple weeks after his return, hoping the little one decides to be born in his time home)
I have gotten to enjoy so many things, so as I think of them, I will try to include them here.
(as I am getting more forgetful by the day! Last night I was at Target with Carol...and we saw someone who looked rediculously familiar. He had a little girl in his cart and I was like-That is Maddie...hmm...what's his name....Matt. yes...NO...wait...MMMMMM ...grr it starts with an M....what is it!? He works with Karen and I can't REMEMBER WHAT HIS NAME IS! grr...Needless to say he was kind enough to remind me that it is Mike. AH ! Mike! Shep! Someone please tell me this "baby brain" thing gets better....right? Well....maybe I will recover slowly)
Let's start with some pictures:
This is myself and one of my best friends' (Brittany's) kiddo, Brandon. The last time I saw him I think it was for his 4th birthday. WOW he has grown and reminds me OH so much of her...it's amazing. And look how handsome he is! Well, I suppose I should say this photo is me, my baby, and Brittany's baby!
OK, One with silly faces: (because it is hard to get that goofy kid to sit still and not be silly...I mean come on...he is like 7 now, and very adorable!)
Look Brittany, Aaron and I both have goatee's on our faces! (oh wait, Brandon's is just ice cream...!)
As you can see above, I was able to spend some time with Brittany (best friend from grade school) and Aaron (a friend from high school) little boy, Brandon. It was wonderful to see both Aaron and Brandon again. Maybe sometime I will get to see Brittany again....(I can only hope!)
In my absence of blogging over the past few weeks, I have taken a few photos (remember, there are 40 weeks to be full term...so we are getting close...and in any "normal" pregnancy-baby can be born at 37 weeks...so it could really be any time now!):
36 Weeks
37 Weeks
In addition to a growing belly, has been me missing the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center, the Future Astronaut Training Program Camps! So...I got word that there was a "25 year reunion" happening a few weeks ago. REALLY!? Funny...I haven't heard anything...maybe I missed an email...? Well, regardless, I did find out about it in time, but was only able to make it to the Sunday rocket launch. It was not as big of an event as I was expecting...but there were a few familiar faces-and we had a good time. I watched the rockets go and reminisced about the "good ole days" and many memories I had from my camping days. I remembered how the Cos (pronounced Cuh-awww-zzzz) (as we used to call it) was the first time I really realized my love of aviation and space. And, some of my friends from today go back to the Cos and my camper days.
They even gave me an "up front seat" in what I jokingly called the "box office" where the 5 individuals would arm their rocket and then count down and launch it.
This is the launch pad:
The enthusiasts who were able to attend this reunion event:
And 2 of my favorite people: Kate and Tom. I worked with them while I was an employee of the Cos and was EXCITED to see two friends still living the dream and inspiring young astronauts, engineers, and everything in between! (I was once inspired at the Cos...and then went on to Kansas State University Salina to be a pilot...and came back to be a counselor for 2 years...and inspired a few of the young minds myself. Now some of those minds are becoming pilots...and the trend continues. What a fantastic opportunity!)
Last weekend was the rocket launch and in addition to that excitement, we had visitors! Can you name that happy engaged couple?
And look, they brought their "fur baby", Charlie with them. She enjoyed getting out of the car on their stop. Even though she is a basset-something mix, she thinks she is a lap dog. Well, Charlie, my lap is still occupied with baby, so there is no room on my lap for you. Sorry!
And here is a quick pic of all of us:
Robin (and baby), Theresa, Ashley, and Jeremy
We were so excited to see them and be able to have lunch while they were here. They went home to Leoti, KS for the FAMOUS fair with 25 cent rides. I was sad to miss it this year, but I have learned that pregnant people do not do well on long car rides, nor in the heat. So this year I sat it out and am hopeful for next year.
Last item for today's post: Where was Chris in the last photo? Good question. See if you can guess where he has been over the past few weeks:
Clue 1:
Clue 2:
Clue 3:
Clue 4:
Clue 5: I think this last one gives it away...
ANSWER: Vegas and Hawaii!
And we look forward to him coming home late this week. :-) Hopefully baby will be here shortly after his arrival to meet him too...we can only hope! (Chris will be home for a couple weeks after his return, hoping the little one decides to be born in his time home)
Monday, July 19, 2010
Baby Shower with Some Girlfriends!
Yesterday a few of my college girlfriends threw me a small baby shower with a few friends from college. It was so much fun hanging out with the girls again. Being a small group, it was hosted at my house. (which means they made yummy treats and left me some at home to munch on this week! yay!)
An old roommate of mine came up from Texas (YAAAAY!) and was able to stay with us for the entire weekend. It was just fun to have a guest over and catch up. On Saturday night, I FINALLY got to meet my friend's fiance, Dan. (whom we love calling "Dan, Dan the Fireman! so as not to be confused with our other college friend, Dan) We hung out at their house and watched a movie for awhile. Being the good friends they are, they noticed I was getting tired (even though I THOUGHT I was still doing ok), they strongly encouraged me to go home and get some sleep. Sadly (because I knew they were RIGHT) we went home. Needless to say, I fell asleep quickly : ) Thanks for being good friends and taking care of me!!
(ok, so I should give up on the "thinking I'm doing ok" thing, as obviously the further I get along in pregnancy, I believe there is a strong negative correlation between preggo thought process and reality of a situation, therefore concluding Preggo Robin is not good at making decisions about taking care of herself. Yup I just admitted it-go ahead and say "I told you so.")
When Sunday came around, my house was filled with giggles, laughter, good treats, and good friends. I could not have asked for a more fun day. I'm excited to see this next chapter of our life unfold. So far, the forecast looks like many good years are ahead. I can't wait!!
Sunday evening, I was tired from the long day of having fun (amazing how having fun and chatting all day is so exhausting!) I decided to sleep on the comfortable couch in the cool basement. Ah....cold just like the polar bears like it! About 10 pm...the door to the house opened. (uh oh...who is home? Chris and Theresa are both gone-and Theresa's not supposed to be back until Monday night-I think?) So-I lay there on the basement couch-thinking--hmm...it has to be Theresa...right?
I listened attentively for the footsteps which were moving around the upstairs of our house. Baby must have been startled too...as it started kicking. Shhh.....be quiet belly-don't kick! A few minutes later, I saw the familiar feet strolling down the stairs: THERESA!! Needless to say, she was just as confused as I was. Since I was sleeping on the basement couch, she was confused as to why my car was here but there was no Robin-and my bed was empty...and apparently I left the light on in the baby's room...oops. I was confused because I thought she took Monday off...but apparently not-and we laughed at ourselves and chatted for a bit before going to sleep. It was nice to see her.
Tonight: dinner with my parents. (yum!) I'm not sure what is on the menu, but it doesn't matter...all I have to do is show up to eat. I'm starting to work up an appetite now...
An old roommate of mine came up from Texas (YAAAAY!) and was able to stay with us for the entire weekend. It was just fun to have a guest over and catch up. On Saturday night, I FINALLY got to meet my friend's fiance, Dan. (whom we love calling "Dan, Dan the Fireman! so as not to be confused with our other college friend, Dan) We hung out at their house and watched a movie for awhile. Being the good friends they are, they noticed I was getting tired (even though I THOUGHT I was still doing ok), they strongly encouraged me to go home and get some sleep. Sadly (because I knew they were RIGHT) we went home. Needless to say, I fell asleep quickly : ) Thanks for being good friends and taking care of me!!
(ok, so I should give up on the "thinking I'm doing ok" thing, as obviously the further I get along in pregnancy, I believe there is a strong negative correlation between preggo thought process and reality of a situation, therefore concluding Preggo Robin is not good at making decisions about taking care of herself. Yup I just admitted it-go ahead and say "I told you so.")
When Sunday came around, my house was filled with giggles, laughter, good treats, and good friends. I could not have asked for a more fun day. I'm excited to see this next chapter of our life unfold. So far, the forecast looks like many good years are ahead. I can't wait!!
Sunday evening, I was tired from the long day of having fun (amazing how having fun and chatting all day is so exhausting!) I decided to sleep on the comfortable couch in the cool basement. Ah....cold just like the polar bears like it! About 10 pm...the door to the house opened. (uh oh...who is home? Chris and Theresa are both gone-and Theresa's not supposed to be back until Monday night-I think?) So-I lay there on the basement couch-thinking--hmm...it has to be Theresa...right?
I listened attentively for the footsteps which were moving around the upstairs of our house. Baby must have been startled too...as it started kicking. Shhh.....be quiet belly-don't kick! A few minutes later, I saw the familiar feet strolling down the stairs: THERESA!! Needless to say, she was just as confused as I was. Since I was sleeping on the basement couch, she was confused as to why my car was here but there was no Robin-and my bed was empty...and apparently I left the light on in the baby's room...oops. I was confused because I thought she took Monday off...but apparently not-and we laughed at ourselves and chatted for a bit before going to sleep. It was nice to see her.
Tonight: dinner with my parents. (yum!) I'm not sure what is on the menu, but it doesn't matter...all I have to do is show up to eat. I'm starting to work up an appetite now...
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
House Projects
Oh no....those two words.... HOUSE PROJECT
(I'm starting to sound like Karen!!)
After I returned from Chicago (and had the house all to myself for nearly a week, I had the opportunity to work on some things that I had on MY list to get done. (Everyone tells me that I'm "nesting" and preparing for baby....but I like to think I have been so busy that there has hardly been any time to get anything done with our busy schedules and work...maybe I AM nesting....!)
Uh oh...Power Tools!
WHY did Chris sound SO concerned when I was lookig for the drill? All I wanted to do was replace a towel rack holder "thingy" in the bathroom...I was going to let him do it when he got home, but it just looked too simple...So I thought I'd do it and check that item off my list. Hesitantly, he told me where the drill was...and then, realizing he didn't tell me where the drill bits were....I assured him I would not hurt myself or break anything : ) PROMISE!!! He did tell me where they were (and I'm pretty sure at this point, he closed his eyes and said a prayer, but who knows for sure!?) Well, the result was good. We now have a hand towel holder with two hooks (and installed very nicely if I do say so myslef). Note the one on the left with the blue towel on it:
(I'm starting to sound like Karen!!)
After I returned from Chicago (and had the house all to myself for nearly a week, I had the opportunity to work on some things that I had on MY list to get done. (Everyone tells me that I'm "nesting" and preparing for baby....but I like to think I have been so busy that there has hardly been any time to get anything done with our busy schedules and work...maybe I AM nesting....!)
Uh oh...Power Tools!
WHY did Chris sound SO concerned when I was lookig for the drill? All I wanted to do was replace a towel rack holder "thingy" in the bathroom...I was going to let him do it when he got home, but it just looked too simple...So I thought I'd do it and check that item off my list. Hesitantly, he told me where the drill was...and then, realizing he didn't tell me where the drill bits were....I assured him I would not hurt myself or break anything : ) PROMISE!!! He did tell me where they were (and I'm pretty sure at this point, he closed his eyes and said a prayer, but who knows for sure!?) Well, the result was good. We now have a hand towel holder with two hooks (and installed very nicely if I do say so myslef). Note the one on the left with the blue towel on it:
And, I decided to FINALLY hang up my cork board for my necklaces. (there are necklaces on it now, but I was just excited to finally have it up on the wall, I snapped a quick pic):
Well, you cannot tell it from the picture, but our bathroom countertop IS now clean...which I don't think I have seen since we moved in! It is SO nice to have one little corner of your house clean and be able to get ready without looking all over for things. I even took the time to go get some baskets. (Chris doesn't like them as much as I do, but I find them quite handy) I organized my drawer (and his drawer...although I don't think his drawer will stay organized...he didn't seem to like it as much as I did--but it is HIS drawer...so as long as I don't have to get into it, I suppose he can do whatever he wants in his drawer : )
After our bathroom--the bedroom! Clothes, junk, stuff...and Ta-Da! look at that brown dresser...I haven't seen the top of that since...well-I can't remember when! I got rid of some tubs and boxes that were at the end of our bed and it really makes a big difference. Makes me feel like the room got five feet bigger...oh wait...I think it did!
After that...on to the hall closet. I have towels with nowhere to put them...and washcloths-well, they don't really have a home either. (since we decided to put in a new A/C unit when the old one broke, we opted NOT to put in the desired 3rd bathroom in our basement until a later date. So our upstairs "main" bathroom is Theresa's bathroom. So, I try to leave her room for all her things she needs)
So, in an effort to do as Better Homes and Gardens does-I set out to organize: THE CLOSET. I got some wire shelf/racks (of course way more than I needed--as I wasn't sure exactly what sizes or shapes would work best for our closet-so I have to take a few back...) But the end result is quite nice.
Top Shelf:
Lower Shelf:
And after all that, I decided...one last "little" project...Baby's Room : )
Well...It had LOTS of boxes. So-still feeling motivated-I "scooted" the big boxes to the office or living room, depending on what was in them and their final destination. I finally found most of my sewing boxes, so those were set to go downstairs. (NOTE: pictures of the pre-boxed room is not shown...as to not divulge how many boxes were really moved....!)
Well, you cannot tell it from the picture, but our bathroom countertop IS now clean...which I don't think I have seen since we moved in! It is SO nice to have one little corner of your house clean and be able to get ready without looking all over for things. I even took the time to go get some baskets. (Chris doesn't like them as much as I do, but I find them quite handy) I organized my drawer (and his drawer...although I don't think his drawer will stay organized...he didn't seem to like it as much as I did--but it is HIS drawer...so as long as I don't have to get into it, I suppose he can do whatever he wants in his drawer : )After our bathroom--the bedroom! Clothes, junk, stuff...and Ta-Da! look at that brown dresser...I haven't seen the top of that since...well-I can't remember when! I got rid of some tubs and boxes that were at the end of our bed and it really makes a big difference. Makes me feel like the room got five feet bigger...oh wait...I think it did!
After that...on to the hall closet. I have towels with nowhere to put them...and washcloths-well, they don't really have a home either. (since we decided to put in a new A/C unit when the old one broke, we opted NOT to put in the desired 3rd bathroom in our basement until a later date. So our upstairs "main" bathroom is Theresa's bathroom. So, I try to leave her room for all her things she needs)
So, in an effort to do as Better Homes and Gardens does-I set out to organize: THE CLOSET. I got some wire shelf/racks (of course way more than I needed--as I wasn't sure exactly what sizes or shapes would work best for our closet-so I have to take a few back...) But the end result is quite nice.
Top Shelf:
Lower Shelf:
And after all that, I decided...one last "little" project...Baby's Room : )
Well...It had LOTS of boxes. So-still feeling motivated-I "scooted" the big boxes to the office or living room, depending on what was in them and their final destination. I finally found most of my sewing boxes, so those were set to go downstairs. (NOTE: pictures of the pre-boxed room is not shown...as to not divulge how many boxes were really moved....!)
AHA! Clean room!
And after cleaning, organizing, moving/scooting, etc...this little birdy was TIRED. (finally) And...after admitting that I had over-exherted myself...I took the next week to recover. (and one trip to my lovely Chiropractor who KNEW I had been doing something I shouldn't have...was nice enough not to make me feel any more guilty for over-exherting myself than I already felt. Although, it did come out a few days later at a get together...and she gave me the "you know you shouldn't be doing that" look...in addition to a good laugh, as she knows she is just as stubborn as myself when she sets her mind to doing something)
And then Chris and Theresa came home and I got in trouble for moving things...but they both said the house looked nice. Although, I have agreed that I will not be doing "anything" else...except for vacuuming...on ONLY one level of the house (and I won't haul the vacuum up and down the stairs). And I can vacuum as long as I don't do any other work. They run a hard bargain, eh?! Well, trust me-I have learned my lesson. I have been recovering for the last week, so I am not feeling like doing any more housework or organizing or cleaning.
Now Theresa can paint clouds on the walls, as she has mentioned interest in doing. This past weekend, she had time and was able to do just that. I have to admit, they turned out really good:
(the best part is, everyone seems to see different animals!! Gotta love the big, puffy clouds) So now I guess we can say we have "painted the baby's room."
And after cleaning, organizing, moving/scooting, etc...this little birdy was TIRED. (finally) And...after admitting that I had over-exherted myself...I took the next week to recover. (and one trip to my lovely Chiropractor who KNEW I had been doing something I shouldn't have...was nice enough not to make me feel any more guilty for over-exherting myself than I already felt. Although, it did come out a few days later at a get together...and she gave me the "you know you shouldn't be doing that" look...in addition to a good laugh, as she knows she is just as stubborn as myself when she sets her mind to doing something)
And then Chris and Theresa came home and I got in trouble for moving things...but they both said the house looked nice. Although, I have agreed that I will not be doing "anything" else...except for vacuuming...on ONLY one level of the house (and I won't haul the vacuum up and down the stairs). And I can vacuum as long as I don't do any other work. They run a hard bargain, eh?! Well, trust me-I have learned my lesson. I have been recovering for the last week, so I am not feeling like doing any more housework or organizing or cleaning.
Now Theresa can paint clouds on the walls, as she has mentioned interest in doing. This past weekend, she had time and was able to do just that. I have to admit, they turned out really good:
(the best part is, everyone seems to see different animals!! Gotta love the big, puffy clouds) So now I guess we can say we have "painted the baby's room."
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
4th of July
Towards the last week of June, I went up to Chicago for a seminar/conference to complete my training. Despite some "minor" delays, I finally arrived in Chicago to get a few hours of blissful sleep before my conference began on Monday morning. yawn!
Lucky for me, I had a good looking dinner date! Chris was able to come up for a couple days, as his schedule happened to work out for a few days off. Additionally, My younger brother, Paul, was able to drive to Chicago from the Urbana-Champaign area !! Look how cute we are (younger brother, and big-sis):
I could not have been happier to see Paul for dinner, and Chris for a few days (as our schedules have been crazy, he left for work when I got back-so it was nice to see him)
Soon after I returned, it was time for the 4th of July! Our "tentative" travel plans were to go out to Leoti for the holiday, but due to Chris' schedule (and me not wanting to drive there all by myself), plans changed. Although, my mother in law did say she was thinking about houlding out 1/2 a cow hostage so that she could see us over the holiday, but I am thankful she did not. We have been enjoying the meat since June when she brought it out to us : ) We look forward to seeing the Laws' in the next few weeks.
So, with Chris out of town, and Theresa galavanting on vacation in Colorado, my mom, Carl, and I hung out with my friend Jourdan and then shot some fireworks off at the house. Here is a picture of Grandpa Benny and I, visiting that afternoon before I went to see the rest of the family:
And here is a picture of me, dressing the baby up for the 4th (see the headband?):
We had a nice time watching the fireworks go off and hanging out. When I got home, it looked like a war zone on my street! There were kiddo's and fireworks EVERYWHERE! The neighbors said that the 4th is ALWAYS a holiday that they spend at home, due to the entire block of families having an ongoing show all night long. I think next July 4th, we will be staying home to watch the festivities : )
Lucky for me, I had a good looking dinner date! Chris was able to come up for a couple days, as his schedule happened to work out for a few days off. Additionally, My younger brother, Paul, was able to drive to Chicago from the Urbana-Champaign area !! Look how cute we are (younger brother, and big-sis):
I could not have been happier to see Paul for dinner, and Chris for a few days (as our schedules have been crazy, he left for work when I got back-so it was nice to see him)
Soon after I returned, it was time for the 4th of July! Our "tentative" travel plans were to go out to Leoti for the holiday, but due to Chris' schedule (and me not wanting to drive there all by myself), plans changed. Although, my mother in law did say she was thinking about houlding out 1/2 a cow hostage so that she could see us over the holiday, but I am thankful she did not. We have been enjoying the meat since June when she brought it out to us : ) We look forward to seeing the Laws' in the next few weeks.
So, with Chris out of town, and Theresa galavanting on vacation in Colorado, my mom, Carl, and I hung out with my friend Jourdan and then shot some fireworks off at the house. Here is a picture of Grandpa Benny and I, visiting that afternoon before I went to see the rest of the family:
And here is a picture of me, dressing the baby up for the 4th (see the headband?):
We had a nice time watching the fireworks go off and hanging out. When I got home, it looked like a war zone on my street! There were kiddo's and fireworks EVERYWHERE! The neighbors said that the 4th is ALWAYS a holiday that they spend at home, due to the entire block of families having an ongoing show all night long. I think next July 4th, we will be staying home to watch the festivities : )
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