So, pictures will be rare until we purchase that digital camera, soon I hope, very soon ;^D
So in the mean time you will get my chatty ramblings, lucky you...
~Our Joey stopped by this week-end, unexpectedly at that...it was so good to see him (and his girlfriend Sara). I just wanted to squeeze and hug and visit forever! I just love that man-child of ours! Now I am beginning to relate to why my lovely m.i.l. Michele can be a bit mushy when we come see her. Ofcourse, this is not so dramatic for my husband, as our oldest son works for him, and occasionally with him; but me? I think I have done well letting Joe gain his independence, but I can still miss him, can't I??
~Our Nick is studying for his permit test, finally. I will be excited to have him driving soon! I love relaxing in the passenger seat ;^) He is also going through a "don't-take-my-picture-i-do-not-want-to-be-on-your-blog" phase; but he is so darn charming, and it shows so well in photos...uh, yeah, getting more like his dad everyday ;^)
~Our TJ is in the 'great helper' stage; I just love this age! He wants to cook, will help tidy up, distracts the baby when needed, entertains Andrew (which is not always easy), and willingly plays endless board games with Katie...yeah, he is a pretty great kid!
~Our Katie-girl~ she too wants to cook (amusing, as I do not cook so much), loves to randomly read encyclopedias (today was babies and ballet), & spends a good amount of time dancing and singing (although she will not perform in public). She also got the pleasure of having Grandpa & Nana visit her school for a Grandparents Day visit... her glowing excitement was priceless!
~Our Andrew~ officially potty-trained at last! I humbly admit this in the hopes of encouraging mums of other late bloomers. It does happen, just not on our time schedule. Andrew is also realizing that Baby Bryson will soon be a fun play-mate....boys and toys, a combination they never outgrow, eh?
~Baby Bryson, such a sweet spirit amongst his mischievious grin...currently loves to try to eat dog food, now realizes the toilet lid "lifts", has discovered drawers, cupboards, and bookcases, oh my! Now "stands" for good lengths of time, but does not realize he can walk. I suppose a push toy would get those feet a movin', but I ain't in no hurry, he will be running soon enough!

Now to share tidbits of thoughts roaming my brain (amusing thought, ain't it? ;^)
~ I just ordered a new HISTORY curriculum. I was looking for more of a timeline of events, so I started with the Bible. I figure that is a great place to start... at the beginning. Anyways, thanks to a fellow blogger, I found a useful textbook that aligns the Bible events with other worldly events of the same era. Joshua was in the same time era as King Tut, Ruth during Helen of Troy, Ezekiel during Buddha (that should be interesting). This should also advance our geography skills; I just love using our huge laminated wall map!
~ The new bail out bill is just down right baffling to me... take billions of dollars to bail out people to force people to pay back the billions of dollars? and yes, on a personal note, a good percentage of that money will help pay for stuff we do not, nor will ever, want to support.
~ on that same note...why is it we (the people) are encouraged to get out of debt, slim down our spending habits, cut out the little things, etc... in the name of financial responsibility. I am willing to hang dry many of our clothes, and take showers every other day, and walk to the store when possible (the few cut backs of our simple life), then what is government doing to cut back their budget? Do you suppose any elected officials buy their suits at the Goodwill? just curious, lol.
~ Spring is around the corner, and we will be attempting a humble garden of sorts. I am not good at such things; I have the heart, just not the skills. I think for our first year we will be using big round plastic tubs for a few trial ideas. Each kid will probably have their own, choose their own plants, etc... I am sure we will be sharing our adventures, successful or not, when the time comes.
~ Spring cleaning... I love it! Yep, I can feel it creeping up....soon....very soon! Swishing, swiping everything in sight...and I have learned to delegate so well over the years. The littles get the baseboards, doorknobs, and window sills; the middles get windows, and lower cupboards and shelves; and poor Nick gets ceiling fans, top cupboards and shelves. Dust, wash, polish...yippee! ;^) And no, they don't complain, cuz they see how much is left for me to do, although I must admit I am always willing to trade them lists ;^D
ok...bedtime routines are knocking on my door, but thanks for letting me ramble so...
Blessings to you all!