The Simpsons

A Month in Review

2012-02-02T16:00:00.006-05:00

It's hard to believe how quickly the month of January passed. We have been sick with colds, coughs and ear infections (Megan) for several weeks now. Antibiotics didn't help very much to ease the congestion so we are marching on with boogies for now. Megan has had a week of hives which we believe is due to her antibiotic use. We are now dosing all three with extra probiotics and today started a new vitamin and a new cold medicine (all-natural version).

The big events of the month were playing in the snow and Tovin's 3rd birthday.

One snowy morning the boys wanted to help Burnell with chicken chores.

They came in to warm up with some hot tea and oatmeal bars. I have been doing a lot of baking recently. Mostly trying to perfect a bread recipe, but also throwing in an attempt at oatmeal bars and graham crackers. We also want to make yogurt more often. We go through so much milk, butter, cheese and yogurt that B is seriously considering a Jersey cow for our family "farm."

Later that day, Kaden said he wanted to go sledding. We improvised with a couple of old plastic bins. The bins broke apart due to the cold and the rough terrain, but the boys had a blast while they held together. I should try to find an end-of-season sale for sleds so that we can go out again once the snow returns.

One day it was too cold to go out to play, so I made the boys cornmeal construction sites. They had a really good time for a couple of hours. I'm so glad that they had fun, but it was quite the mess to clean. Next time, I'll try it with popcorn or something not so fine and powdery.

Burnell likes to make popcorn and watch a DVD with the munchkins. Tovin had a penguin themed birthday this year and I borrowed several penguin-related DVD's from the library. Here is Megan enjoying a cozy snack with her Papa.

For Tovin's party, we invited a family from church to share dinner and cake with us. The day before the party, we made a Rice Crispy treat penguin. The boys (and the other children) could hardly wait to tear into it at the party.

Tovin enjoyed opening a few gifts before the party. He and Kaden liked the plush penguin Papa and chick. After the party they snuggled on the couch with them and for the next few days, they were the preferred toy. (Now they're back to the bristle blocks and vehicles.)

The cake was a cute three-layered chocolate and yellow penguin surrounded by coconut-covered snow balls. During dinner, the kids noticed that the penguin was starting to lean a bit. As we cleaned up from dinner and started to prepare for dessert, it became necessary to hold an emergency candle and singing ceremony before the little bird fell flat on his face. In spite of the two skewers that I placed down the center of the cake, I had to catch him right after Tovin blew out the candle.

Just a random photo of Kaden who is always up before dawn. He wakes up early (always has) and usually goes straight to his vehicles or to his coloring paper (of vehicles). This is one morning that he was enjoying Tomica stickers sent from a friend in Japan. Notice the beautiful sunrise in the background.

We are looking forward to having bodies free of congestion, but I am ever thankful that it is not the flu or something worse. I really enjoy Valentine's Day, but don't feel up to planning and hosting a party this year. I'll probably just do some fun, low-key things for the family.

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T14:15:00.002-05:00

Christmas 2011

2011-12-28T17:15:00.007-05:00

We have had a quiet and peaceful Christmas season. The munchkins have been sick so we have mostly been home with a few outings thrown in for fun. Megan is recovering from a terrible double ear infection after six weeks of nasal congestion. Two antibiotics later she seems to be on the mend. Tovin and Kaden have been coughing for more than two weeks and today we went to the doctor as they both became miserable and the congestion took over their systems. Hopefully one course of antibiotics will clear everything for them.

I'll start off the photos with us at the tree farm choosing this year's tree. A beautiful Concolor Fir has been gracing our living room since the first weekend in December.

I made salt dough ornaments for the boys to paint and we also used cookie cutters and candy canes as decoration. We have been amazed at the restraint the children have shown in regards to the tree. Megan hasn't bothered it at all and the boys only crash into occasionally (and then only by "accident" of course).

My mom, sister and nieces came for a short visit. We did some holiday baking, some shopping and went out to eat a few times. We were able to drive to Clifton Mill to see the amazing light display and the boys had so much fun decorating the Rice Crispy Treat train that Grandma brought with her. After my family left, I was sad to discover that these are the only two photos that I took during their visit. How pathetic! I didn't even get one photo of my mom and sister let alone a group photo.

Christmas day was very relaxing and low-key. We wanted to attend church but opted for staying home as the little ones were under-the-weather and germ-ridden. For the third year in a row, we had Christmas jammies for Christmas Eve. This year my mom provided John Deere pajamas for them. Boy, are they cute! We also had a small Christmas Eve gathering with a few folks from church. I made a Christmas cake for the festivities. This year it was a 3-layered gingerbread cake with an orange zest cream cheese frosting. Yummy but a bit heavy. Perhaps next year I'll stick to the Japanese version of sponge cake with whipped cream and fresh fruit.

Kaden was so excited about presents under the tree. He wanted lots and lots of presents. Of course we had many teachable moments of the true meaning of Christmas and this year the boys really enjoyed and understood the story of Christ's birth. Here are photos from Christmas morning, which was mostly about trains this year.

All three munchkins enjoyed gingerbread men this year. I planned to have the boys help decorate the whole batch, but after two minutes I decided that they could each decorate two cookies to their hearts' content and that I would do the rest. They had a good time. Tovin eats more of the candies than he should and Kaden is very particular about where he is placing his sprinkles.

Megan is truly walking now. About two weeks ago she just took off and motors all over the house on two legs. It is the cutest thing to watch and I often find myself staring at her and giggling. I'm still working on getting a segment of decent video of her wobbling about. It is now difficult to photograph her as she is a blur to the camera.

She is such a funny girl. She is really starting to communicate and loves be silly at the table. Lately she has been wanting to clean he one hands and face after mealtimes. Last week she put the washcloth on her head and had fun playing peek-a-boo.

I sign off with yet another glorious sunset. This one is from Christmas day.

A Week of Firsts

2011-12-01T06:24:00.012-05:00

We have finally upgraded to a new computer! Yeah! I can see the screen clearly and the curser isn't jumping around everywhere! Please excuse the two-month delay in posting. The old computer was so frustrating that I gave up using it.

In regards to the title of this posting...

Megan is now walking about 5-7 steps before dropping back to her quirky scoot-like crawl and Tovin is wearing underwear on his bottom and not just as a silly hat. I can't think of anything new that Kaden is doing this week other than having fun singing and dancing to Christmas songs that he is learning.

Here is what the little monkey does to keep herself busy while I'm helping Tovin.

We had a lovely autumn and enjoyed many days outdoors. We had an equally wonderful Thanksgiving weekend. We enjoyed a fine feast with friends and I made my first green bean casserole (recipe curtesy of Alton Brown). The boys and I made our first Oreo cookie turkeys ( a lot of work, but quite a hit) and we decorated our first gingerbread barn (nice change from our usual gingerbread train).

The night before Thanksgiving we had our first family pajama night. I had elaborate plans for many fun activities, but it boiled down to popcorn and a new Thomas movie with pillows on the floor. The boys were happy as they had no idea what to expect and Megan went to bed about ten minutes after the party started. Next time we throw a pajama party I hope to be better prepared.

Last week we had our first snow! Kaden had a blast and stayed out for an hour before being told he needed to come in for lunch. Tovin lasted about two minutes before he was crying about cold hands. I need to buy him a pair of good L.L. Bean gloves like Kaden has and then maybe he'll be able to tough it out for five minutes. Kaden had a blast using the grader to plow paths in the snow.

A few weeks ago Burnell took the boys to a friend's field so that they could help bring in the corn harvest. This was Kaden's third time in a combine and Tovin's first. Kaden was pleased that he got to sit on the farmer's lap and "drive" the combine.

We also get a front row seat to the harvesting action as our property is surrounded by fields.

I'll sign off with a few photos of Papa's princess. She loves to play peek-a-boo (or "Where's Megan?") while eating. She is quite the messy little thing and proud of it. She has been growing well lately and we are happy to report that the testing she had done concerning her small stature came back negative. Meaning... she's a PETITE but HEALTHY girl.

Fall Fun

2011-09-26T14:47:00.009-04:00

Autumn! My favorite season has arrived! We've had lots of rain lately, but the sun breaks through the clouds now and then so we can be out and about. Last week, I took the munchkins to a local farm for a "petting zoo" day. Kaden touched everything except the guinea pig. Tovin was shy and didn't want to touch or be too close to the animals. Here are some photos of our brief outing.

A baby hedgehog. A first for us!

Kaden was thrilled to see hay bales and a baler. He has been talking about balers since the spring. He often prays that God will give Papa a baler. He had a chance to "drive" the tractor with the baler attachment.

Grammy helped the boys decorate pumpkins with stickers. We made one for Megan too.

Yesterday started off rainy but by the afternoon it was a perfectly sunny day just right for a trip to the apple orchard. As we drove to the orchard, I realized that we had visited the same place exactly one year ago because it was September 25th and Megan's due date.

Kaden was asking which apples were good for picking and then inspecting them for worm holes before he put them in the bag.

Last night and this morning we had heavy rains that gave way to mostly sunny skies. This afternoon I looked out and thought that the softer fall lighting was beautiful.

Papa will be home in a few days and we are looking forward to many family outings in the month of October.

A Day in the Life

2011-09-18T14:27:00.005-04:00

Here is a day of Simpson family for Papa to enjoy from Japan.

This was yesterday's sunrise.

The children played well together and we didn't have any major mishaps (or at least none that I can remember at the moment.)

We went out for some afternoon sun to enjoy the perfect fallish weather. Here is Megan climbing the concrete steps... again! She doesn't stop moving and loves to climb. If we are outside, she is either climbing stairs or chewing on stones. Kaden can now open baby gates and he doesn't always remember to close them. Last week, Megan made it up 16 stairs and I was so thankful that she didn't get hurt in the process.

While the boys were playing with their trucks and shovels, I went to feed and water the chickens. As I was at the chicken coop, I noted that I could no longer hear little boys playing (usually a bad sign). I thought, "Great. I left the garage door open and now they are playing on the tractor." Burnell will be happy to know that they by-passed the garage altogether. Here is what I spotted while walking towards the house.

Tovin's vest, shirt and DIAPER. Hmmm? What could they be doing?

I rounded the corner to find them with pants around their ankles and buckets in hand as water spewed from the open outdoor faucet (no garden hose connected). A huge mud puddle and two very happy, rather wet, boys.

The story is that Kaden was peeing al fresco and Tovin "stuck his hand in the pee and was splashing it everywhere." Tovin then turned on the water so that they could wash up. I'm not sure why Tovin needed to remove his diaper other than he needs little encouragement to do so. Two happy boys enjoying the last few moments of warm weather for the year. I could hardly be mad as the mess was outside and I had the opportunity to take a very cute tushie shot of Tovin while he's still young.

Yesterday's sunset.

Papa will be happy to know that all three went to bed on time and without a fuss.

Photos for Papa

2011-09-09T22:55:00.003-04:00

B is in Japan so I am updating our blog to give him photos from home. We have had amazing weather for the past couple of days. We were outside this morning and again in the afternoon. I wanted a nice group shot but here's the best I could get.

The chickens are doing well and I love not having Mr. Rooster. I check on the hens 3-4 times a day without stress. We are getting 15 to 18 eggs a day. Beautiful brown eggs that continue to get larger. The egg on the left is from the grocery store. The egg on the right is from one of our birds. We have reached or surpassed Grade A large size! We still have some chickens laying smaller eggs, but most are medium to large.

Tovin wanted to wear Mr. Potato Head glasses to the lunch table today. Sure, why not?! What a hoot!

Here's sweet Megan in her new chair. Well, it's really Kaden's hand-me-down. She was wiggling out of the Combi chair. A few times she crawled from it onto the table. Once she was sitting on her tray and often she was standing up in it. I am so thankful that she didn't get hurt before we moved her to something more secure. She is trying to climb into the new chair and also trying to climb onto her play table. I wonder how long it will take to figure out how to wiggle out of this chair. Just like Tovin, she likes to be a monkey.

He Gonna Be Sad

2011-09-05T21:39:00.005-04:00

We are short one rooster around here. This morning Burnell took care of dispatching the mean bird. He gave Mr. Rooster one final test yesterday after a few weeks of trying to acclimate the two of us. He had me go collect eggs, while he watched from a distance. As I picked up an egg and turned to leave the coop area, Burnell sarcastically said, "Gee, Rooster sure does seem upset." No sooner were the words out of his mouth when he said, "Here he comes!" and I was slammed from behind. Burnell was laughing in disbelief and said that he couldn't believe that Mr. Rooster charged at me. (Did he think that I was making it up?) He shook his head and said that he would process him Monday morning. He also wanted a video of it because he thought it was hilarious. I told him that I wasn't about to let Mr. Rooster go at me again just so that he could have it on video.

Not for the faint of heart, but B wants me to post photos of the processing. Kaden and I were watching from inside the house, when sleepy head Tovin joined us. He wanted to know what Papa had. When I explained that he had chopped off Mr. Rooster's head and was now plucking his feathers, Tovin responded, "He (Rooster) gonna be saaad. (to have his head cut off and feathers plucked)."

I had a recipe for chicken and dumplings ready to make for dinner, but B decided to not finish with the processing. He plucked feathers and did most of the messy gutting and cleaning. When he was mostly done, he decided that he had cooked the bird too long in the scalding water (to remove the feathers) and Rooster was greatly resembling a rubber chicken. A lesson learned for next time.

Here is our new coop that B finished (well mostly) last weekend.

Saturday evening, he moved the coop from the back yard to the front yard. It's neat to see chickens dotting our front lawn, but we will have to shoo them from our porch and sidewalk area before too long. Today we had a record 18 eggs! They are increasing in size and we are going to have to start giving them away (or selling them) by the dozen.

Kaden had a wonderful 4th birthday. We had a nice visit with friends and he had a combine and grain truck on his cake. In addition to the farming vehicles, he wanted to have his cake decorated with M&M's, marshmallows and jelly beans/gum drops. (The boys chose to wear their matching construction worker pajama tops for the party).

Little Megan is now in the FIRST percentile for height and weight. She is 26 inches long and 15 pounds 10 ounces. She is as active and sweet as ever. She tries to climb the sides of her pack n' play and she'll probably be able to scamper out by the time she is one-year-old. In the meantime, she enjoys throwing toys out of it.

Mr. Rooster

2011-08-23T15:18:00.007-04:00

We didn't intend to have a rooster. He was misidentified as a female and came home with the other 24 fluff balls. About 6 weeks into our chicken raising we noticed that one of the Plymouth Barred Rocks was growing differently. A rooster! "Well, why not?" we said. "Let's keep him and see what happens." Burnell likes him very much, but I'm lobbying for him to become chicken noodle soup. He attacks me every time I even think about going near the chickens. He hasn't hurt me... yet. He charges at me and slams his body into my legs, but so far I've been wearing tall boots. Burnell has been taking care of their feed, water and egg collection. Next month B will be in Japan and I'll have to be the chicken farmer. I don't want to do daily battle with Mr. Rooster. He's handsome and I understand his purpose, but he needs to go.

Last week our road was resurfaced. The boys had been outside playing in the water and when it was time to come in for lunch, I dressed them in their matching construction worker outfits. About 30 minutes later, we were eating lunch when we heard noise. A construction vehicle parade was driving slowly past our house! They were finishing up some work and the boys were so cute watching the show.

When they are outside playing the boys spend a lot of time scooping dirt and rocks and dumping them where ever their little hearts desire. We haven't been overly concerned about it as it keeps them busy and landscaping is low on this year's priority list. Eventually we will want the rocks left in the drive and will not want Tonka dump truck loads of dirt left about the yard. B draws the line of tolerance at the patio and porches. It is a line that Tovin likes to cross and then we have heaps of dirt and rock to sweep away.

Megan has been as busy as ever. The little thing just doesn't stop moving. She crawls all over the house and likes to pull herself up on everything. She is starting to let go of her support in an attempt to stand alone. The baby gates are closed at all times now that she has climbed six stair steps and has fallen down those same six steps. She has five tiny teeth and is doing well with eating table foods. She seems to have gained some weight and I'm curious about her stats. She is quite a messy eater. Here she is with cheese on her face. She really likes bananas and Cheerios, but has also done well with scrambled egg, cheese, graham crackers and most other things that I've given to her. Kaden and Megan have a joint check-up scheduled for Friday.

And finally just a few random "Children at Play" pics. The boys adore her and she loves to giggle at them. It is so sweet to watch them take care of her and play with her. She has recently been blowing kisses (as well as raspberries and spitting!). Today we had her giggling up a storm by just making sounds as we blew her kisses. Tovin sits beside her at the dining table and he loves to hold her hand during meal times.

Egg-Layers

2011-08-03T11:06:00.006-04:00

Saturday morning we were surprised to find our first egg. The chickens just turned 18-weeks-old and we thought we might have a few more weeks until they started producing eggs. Here is a photo of our first egg.

Here is a photo of the boy who dropped the first egg.

Shortly after finding the first egg, Burnell found our second egg. As you can see it is quite a bit smaller than the store-bought eggs in our fridge. Other than being small, the five eggs that we've found have seemed really healthy.

I pulled out the chicken book to read what to do next. Unfortunately Burnell is still far from finished with our chicken coop. Right now there are no nesting boxes and the chickens can lay their eggs anywhere and it is difficult to know if we have one or not. Saturday, B spent the day working hard on that coop!

So far only a couple of birds are laying and we have one or two eggs a day (we think!). Within a week or two all of the birds (minus Mr. Rooster) could be laying! This would give us an incredible 15 or so eggs a day without an orderly system of collecting them. YIKES! Please pray that B finds time and ingenuity to get the coop done. The good news is that he put a temporary nesting box under their tarp and one girl laid an egg in it.

We just had a visit with our friends Heidi and Luke from Japan. It has been two years since their last visit so we had fun watching the boys interact. Heidi was a great encouragement to me and I enjoyed the weekend.

Megan has been gaining a bit of weight with the formula added to her food. We'll take her to the doctor's in about three weeks for a weight-check. She has been standing a lot and yesterday started to let go of her support. She falls down quickly but gets back up to do it again. The fridge and the stairs are her newest conquests. She is so happy to play in the fridge and yesterday she made it up to the second stair.

The boys have been very busy building with bristle blocks. The are constantly talking about their "creation" or "project." Kaden will often warn us not to touch it, step on it or clean it up. Here is a parking garage that Kaden built and I happened to catch him explaining it to Tovin.

A recent sunrise.

A recent sunset.

Hopefully my next post will include photos of a finished coop and birds who are happily laying eggs where they should.

Finally!

2011-07-21T21:06:00.006-04:00

I spent some time working on iPhoto today. Although I have tons of photos left to sort and move, I did enough to upload from our camera (all 630 photos!). I can't believe that it's been four months since posting, but everyday seems to be swamped with childcare and then exhaustion once they are in bed. A full night of sleep is still a rare thing around here for one reason (or one child) or another.

Here are the latest photos and a little update.

For the past week, Megan has been pulling herself to a stand. Tonight at bath time, she wiggled her naked little body to the bathroom, pulled herself up to a stand at the tub and then tried to lift her legs (think rock climber) to get into the bath. She is a little "mover and groover" like Tovin, a "make it happen" kind of girl.

She was recently introduced to Cheerios and she adores them like the boys never did. She has a small appetite and has recently been "greatly encouraged" to eat more than a few mouthfuls of puree. However, just like Jello, she always seems to find room to suck down a few O's. This week (at the doctor's recommendation) we have been supplementing her diet with formula in an effort to get her weight up a bit. She is 14 pounds 6 ounces and in the .6th (yes, POINT SIXTH!) percentile for nine-month-old girls. The boys are currently in the 99th percentile for their ages. Talk about different body types!

She is so active, she rarely sits still. She is always wiggling and scooting, bouncing and standing. I snuck into her room a few days ago and caught a photo of our sleeping beauty. She does sleep rather well on most nights (except for the ear infection of three weeks ago).

For the past two weeks Kaden has been acting more like the four-year-old that he is about to become. He still can talk up a storm from the minute he opens his peepers (6 am) to the time that his head hits the pillow. Fortunately, he still takes a good nap. He is very excited about his upcoming party and the "combine cake" with grain truck. Yes, second year in a row for a John Deere themed party. Last year he had to have a tractor cake and this year in is to be a combine harvester. Last week I made s'mores pops (AKA s'mores on a stick). The boys were thrilled with their "sticks." Kaden is a big fan of marshmallow and Tovin loves the chocolate.

Tovin is a very funny lovable guy when he isn't being two (and it seems that he has been two for such a long time). Last week he had his first trip to the ER. He fell while running (not unusual), but this time he really cut open his chin on a rock. He was patched up with Dermabond and had to take an antibiotic to discourage infection. He was such a trooper about the whole thing. He still loves to suck his thumb while snuggling and is as messy as ever. I don't think that he will be outgrowing his bib anytime soon. Sometimes he gets reprimanded for playing with his food, but for the most part he is just eating with such gusto that table manners and neatness aren't even a thought. I've been telling B that he'll need a Miss Manners class at the age of ten.

In the past few months we've stayed close to home watching our chickens grow and we've enjoyed visits from family (B's mom, my dad and my sister Tracey). This week has been too hot to do anything. The boys have cabin fever and are itching to go out and play in the dirt. I've been kind of thankful for the heat because it means less work trying to keep dirt out of Tovin's chin wound and a lot less dirty laundry. Well, I'm glad to be back to posting. I'll try to not let too much time go by while working on iPhoto.

Patience Please

2011-04-15T14:32:00.002-04:00

I have a lot of photos on our camera that cannot be loaded onto our computer. Our iphoto library is too full to accept any imports and I am trying to resolve it. I went to the store to buy CD's but bought the wrong kind. Returned them and bought the right kind. Searched google to figure out how to find our "source list" in iphoto (which had been hiding since we lost all our pictures 18 months ago). Now I need to sort all 3500 photos and move them to CD's. Between dealing with the latest cold to hit the Simpson clan (mama included) and caring for 24 baby chicks, I don't know when I'll find the time. Hopefully sometime this weekend. Stand by!

Baby Chicks

2011-03-28T17:07:00.004-04:00

Friday evening Burnell came home with 25 baby chicks. We plan to raise them for fresh eggs. We have four different varieties: Barred Plymouth Rock, Buff Orpington, Silver Laced Wyandotte and Rhode Island Red. They really are cute, even if they do an incredible amount of pooping (pardon the details). Here are the boys checking out the first animals of the Simpson farm.

They will be housed in the garage for a few weeks before being moved outdoors. Burnell is constructing a movable chicken coop (AKA chicken tractor). I'm in charge of checking in on them at lunchtime to clean their crate and refresh water and food. Today was the first day of my hen duty and I almost forgot. They are messy but cute.

Our other baby chick had her first taste of brown rice cereal. She was a very serious eater. She furrowed her brow and concentrated on swallowing. Today she pushed a lot of it out with her tongue, but she seems to enjoy it and is ready to learn how to swallow solids.

She is a "ham" for the camera just like her big brother Kaden. When she sees the camera she smiles and "poses." She gets upset if you don't stop to take her photo.

All in a Day's Work

2011-03-24T09:46:00.007-04:00

I have been meaning to update the blog for a week now, but it never seems to get done. The boys are finally over their two-month saga of a sinus infection, but this week we are knee deep in teething woes and the flu bug. Megan had a fever on Tuesday, but I think it was due to teething. Those first teeth are about ready to break through! Tovin wasn't himself on Tuesday, but he is also painfully breaking in the last two molars. Tuesday night around 11 pm Tovin woke up crying like we've never heard before and he ran to our room covered in puke. And so began 24 hours of our first full-blown case of a child with the flu. We are fortunate that it took 3.5 years to experience a kid with the flu, because it was quite a mess. His bedding, our bedding, countless towels and outfit changes for all. Today he is still feverish and not eating, but at least he is drinking fluids and keeping them down. Right now he is taking a morning nap. He told me that his mouth and tummy hurt, so his teeth must be bothering him as well. Poor Bug!

A couple of weeks ago, the boys helped B install a birdhouse for Purple Martins. We have had to take it down because the Martins have not yet arrived and other (much less desirable) birds were starting to build their nests.

They also were helping Papa move rocks. They had so much fun doing hard work (for a few minutes before getting tired and wanting to go play).

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For St. Patrick's Day, I baked matcha shortbread cookies and mixed up some green milk to go with them. The stems broke off of the shamrocks so we had green "butterflies" instead. Kaden declared that since it was "Patrick's Day" that he needn't eat eggs for breakfast. I laughed and agreed that he didn't have to eat his required three bites of egg. All day he kept asking me if it was still "Patrick's Day." When I would reply, "Yes," he would say, "but we're not Irish."

Megan is about to turn six-months-old. She has been very interested in food and drink. We have been giving her sips of water from our glasses because she reaches and grabs a hold of whatever we've got. I need to get to the store to buy her her own pink sippy cups. I am looking forward to flowery girl cups after years of vehicles. When she is on our laps during mealtime, it takes quite a bit of effort to keep her little monkey paws off of the dishes. She is quite strong and determined to get whatever she can to her mouth. She will probably start cereal this weekend if she isn't too miserable due to teething.

Home Sweet Home

2011-03-12T10:05:00.006-05:00

Thankfully, Burnell is in Ohio and not in Japan. He was suppose to be there right now, but his trip was rescheduled for March 21st. It seems that his three-week business trip is postponed indefinitely. I am so thankful that he isn't stranded in Japan. As far as we know, the area where we lived had damage, but not tragedy like the coastal area. However, many that we know are without power and the roads and trains out of Tokyo are closed. Our missionary friends in Sano are safe and are asking for prayer in how to effectively reach the hearts of the Japanese people with the truth of God's love and mercy. I do not know how our Japanese friends in Utsunomiya are doing but we hope and pray that they are well.

The boys are excited about new wall decals for their bedroom. It took a lot of searching to find something to compliment the space. Kaden is crazy about vehicles of all sorts, so it is great to have construction trucks mixed with rescue vehicles as well as a school bus and helicopter. The only thing missing is a tractor. I have yet to find curtains and an affordable rug that I like but eventually their bedroom will be decorated to the same degree as Megan's nursery.

Today is a sunny and windy March day. The boys are outside with Burnell. They are helping him install a large Martin birdhouse. It is chilly enough to be bundled in winter gear, but the sun is nice. Lately we have had a lot of cold rain and yesterday we woke to a dusting of snow. Crazy March weather! Here are a couple of late winter photos. The little men enjoy helping to get a fire going and Megan looks sweet in her snowwoman jammies.

First Girls' Day

2011-03-03T17:16:00.009-05:00

Today is Hinamatsuri and Megan turns five-months-old. Yesterday we celebrated with our friend Miss Connie and her three granddaughters at our third annual Dolls' Day Party. Last year I prepared many elaborate Japanese dishes and pulled out all of my hina decorations. This year was definitely more casual, but just as enjoyable. I made osekihan (red bean rice) and cucumber pickles. I found sakuramochi (salted cherry leaf tea sweet) as well as some ichigomochi (strawberry flavored white bean paste tea sweet). Thanks to a dear friend in Japan, we also had Hina arare (sweet little cereal mix) and Hello Kitty/Dear Daniel centerpieces for the table. I have not been able to find hina arare in our Japanese grocery store and all of my decorations are still packed in a moving box. It was so sweet to be remembered and to have special snacks and decorations for the party.

A couple of weeks ago my mom, sister and twin nieces came for a visit. We were able to visit the orchid show at the Franklin Park Conservatory. The day that they left to return to Pennsylvania, we had a yummy lunch at the Japanese restaurant and did a little shopping at the Japanese grocery store and gift shop.

Kaden just celebrated a half-birthday. He was so happy to have pumpkin cupcakes and open a small gift.

Megan is really active and happy. She has been rolling a bit and she likes to hold her feet. She does a great job of holding and shaking toys. She is very quick to grab at anything that we have at the table. She is even attempting to sit up by herself. I haven't posted any photos of the nursery, so I'll share one of her mural. I am so happy with how this wall decal mural looks. It was so easy to find other art, curtains and a rug to match. Her room is so bright and girly which is nice since we spend so much time in there.

The weather is warming slowly. We have had nice days followed by ice and strong winds. On Sunday the weather was fabulous for February. Kaden and I were out for an afternoon walk when a herd of eight deer ran right in front of us. It was exciting to be so close to them. The last one of the group stopped to stare at us. Just when I started to wonder if a deer would charge at us, she snorted and ran after the others. A little while later we watched six blue birds darting in the tall grass. Later that evening the weather turned chilly and a strong thunderstorm rolled through for the night. Burnell built a fire for us and it was so cozy that I took a photo to share. We might be having another fire or two before the winter officially turns to spring. I'll miss the warm cozy glow, but not the cold and damp weather that make us want to cuddle up to the stove.

And I'll end with photos of slobber-puss. She has been teething for a little over a month and I don't think anything is cutting through soon. Miss Connie gave her this Sophie Giraffe and she seems to like it very much.

Today both Megan and Tovin had well visits. The boys are still sick with sinus infections. After two months and two rounds of antibiotics (Amoxicillin), we are going to try one more antibiotic. I've been up to my elbows in boogies and we haven't gone to church since early January. When we get rid of this illness, I'll be giving them some herbal immune boosters to help prevent another bug. Megan truly is their little sister. She measures in the 33rd percentile for length and the 4th (!) percentile for weight. Tovin (our resident climber and dare-devil) measures in the 97th percentile for length and the 69th percentile for weight. Megan will soon be starting cereal and we'll have to see if that helps put a little weight on her dainty frame.

Happy Heart Day

2011-02-16T13:10:00.005-05:00

A little belated, but I hope that all enjoyed this year's Valentine's Day. Thank you to all who called or sent cards knowing that it's one of my favorite days. As usual, I hosted a party. This year the theme was vintage valentines and I used red and white hearts everywhere. I invited four ladies and six children from our new church. I think a nice time was had by all.

Burnell came home from the grocery store with these cute miniature rose buds. They have been opening and are a pretty addition to the kitchen counter.

Memorable moments from the day: A thoughtful card from B served with my morning coffee, a naked Kaden at the party (I had sent him to use the toilet and he returned to the lunch table wearing shirt, socks and a smile), and kids getting really excited about receiving Russell Stovers heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. However, my number one favorite moment of the day came after the party. The boys were sitting at the table having a snack when Tovin put his arm around Kaden and said sincerely, "I wuv you! Daden, I wuv you!"

Here is my sweet little Megan valentine baby as she models her first dress.

Before bed I had the boys pose with their valentines sent from Grammy Bel.

The boys and I wore red sweaters and I very much wanted to have someone take our photo, but as usual, I was too busy serving and supervising. Everyone had left before I remembered that the camera never made it out of its case. As a bonus party treat, I sent everyone home with a jar of homemade marshmallows and we have been enjoying the leftover bits. Kaden keeps asking to have them for breakfast, but Tovin won't try one. I like mine gooey from swimming in hot cocoa and B likes his with hot cocoa but not in the hot cocoa.

A few photos from our February...

A sunrise.

Kaden with a sheet of sticker paper on his face. He kept it there for about an hour before I made him remove it for lunch.

A Saturday morning "jam session" with Papa and his new guitar. After a couple of years of talking about it, B has started to take lessons. Kaden is very much hoping that Papa will buy him a "big boy" guitar with a strap.

And the boys finally getting some fresh air after two months of illness and freezing weather.

It is sunny and not so cold today. I am wanting to take the lads out to run and play as soon as they wake from their nap which should be any minute.

Monday Musings

2011-01-31T14:14:00.006-05:00

As I was holding Megan and watching the boys play, I was imagining their futures. Kaden is destined for the stage. He is very dramatic and likes to perform. He dances and sings as if he is in a Broadway show. He was dancing for me and it was so funny that I had to get the camera. I wish I could have done a video, but this blog site no longer loads my videos.

Kaden is going to be Megan's number one protector as she grows. He is always concerned about how she is. He loves to help with her. He is now thrilled to be learning how to reinsert her pacifier and how to hold a toy so that she can reach for it and grasp it. The other night at dinner he wanted her chair to be scooted right up against his and he said, "Mama, Papa, don't touch her! If she needs something, I'll take care of her because I'm her big brother." Megan has nothing but lovey eyes for Burnell and Kaden. She will grow up to be Kaden's number one admirer and cheerleader.

Tovin is going to grow up to be a mountain climber. I can see him traveling the globe looking for the next big adventure. He will and must climb anything. He was climbing before he could walk. His favorite activity is to line up the dining chairs and climb over one to the next and then the next, etc. When he's not doing that, he's sitting on the table or the kitchen counter or standing on the back of the couch in an attempt to stand on a window sill. He always looks like he's been in a prize fight. He falls often and usual manages to land on his face. He is one tough cookie and rarely complains. Just this morning, he was running across the kitchen and tripped over his own two feet which resulted in a "Rocky Balboa" lip. As sweet as he is, I think that he will be Megan's number one tormentor. He will pester and tease her every moment of her waking life in an attempt to show her how much he loves her.

As for Megan... only time will tell. Maybe a hair model?

She seems to be on the active side, but has a pretty easy-going personality. Whatever she will be it will be sweet. She loves to smile and "talks" up storm. She just rolled from back to belly for the first time and is now reaching for things and grasping toys. Here she is on the floor with her brothers.

The good thing about having three children in three years is that they all enjoy the same books and toys. I am trying to teach the boys that now that Megan can hold a toy, they shouldn't take it from her to play with it. Tovin wants it for himself (or he wants to tease her) and Kaden wants to "help" her play with it, by shaking it in front of her and not letting her hold it. It's a bit tricky balancing three munchkins and a book on (or around) my lap, but the other day we were reading "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" and all were engrossed. As long as Kaden and Tovin can see the pictures, no one complains and we only pause to help clean Megan from the frequent "urping."

On a side note... Burnell went rabbit hunting for the first time on Saturday and came home with three for the pot (one that he shot and two from his friend). Tovin really wanted to hold the rabbits and we had to explain that they were dead and we were going to eat them. He wasn't upset, but a life lesson for the lads as we talked about what animals we eat. Kaden likes to remind us that we can't eat the rabbit (chicken, cow, etc.) while it's alive. Burnell took care of cleaning the bunnies and preparing them for dinner. He made a really tasty rabbit stew and I made the side dishes.

He said that had we lived in the pioneer days that our family would not have gone hungry. And then he swaggered on over to the sink to do the dishes.

Wildlife

2011-01-22T22:17:00.005-05:00

I am still amazed at the views from our new house. It is such a blessing to me to be able to look out every day and see all kinds of flora and fauna. We see birds of all sorts, plenty of deer, the occasional pheasant or coyote and once a red fox. Friday the boys were feeling better and had a bad case of cabin fever. It was much too cold to go out and they were so full of "boy energy" that it was a challenging day for the Mama. Friday evening, Burnell came home from work and had just started a fire in the wood-burning stove, when he called to us to look out the window. A herd of deer were making their way across the road in front of our house. They often cut through our yard to get to the woods behind the house. Usually we see four or so. Sometimes they cross as a group of eight or nine. This time there were eleven of them. It was a magical moment. The fire was blazing, the sun was setting and it was fun counting them as they passed.

And here are photos of the indoor wildlife that we keep a the Simpson zoo. The two little men were wild monkeys on Friday. They tried everything short of hanging from the light fixtures. I think that Megan is starting to find their antics funny which I fear will only encourage them.

Today we were happy to host friends for Tovin's "official" birthday party. We had fun with their family of six (very well-mannered) children. I decided to go with a "Little Engine That Could" theme since it is a new and popular story for our family. Burnell wasn't thrilled that I stayed up late Friday night to decorate the cake, but the boys were so pleased with the results that it was worth it. Kaden recognized it right away, so that means I got it close enough (minus A LOT of train details) to get them excited about the party. Tovin really wanted to eat a cookie wheel. And Kaden wanted the light from the front.

Our morning conversation went like this...

"Tovin, what do you want on your toast? Honey or Jelly?"

"Cake"

"No, dear. Honey or Jelly?"

"Want cake. I want eat cookie wheel."

This one is Tovin's "I being funny." face.

Our two-year-old is quite an active and independent little guy. He loves to laugh and snuggle, but he also climbs on anything (even the dining table). I think that one day he will enjoy rock climbing. I wonder what this year will bring. Maybe a climbing wall for the basement? Hopefully an end to thumb sucking and diapers. His vocabulary grows daily and I enjoy it most when he is being himself and not mimicking his big brother. He has a naturally deep voice and we are curious as to how that will play out as he matures.

The Birthday Blues

2011-01-15T16:11:00.008-05:00

Today is Tovin's second birthday, but we had to postpone his party due to illness. After a week of being miserable with fever and congestion, we went to the doctor on Thursday and we are now taking antibiotics (everyone except Megan) for upper respiratory infection (and an ear infection for Tovin) and using eye drops to rid us of conjunctivitis. (Well, everyone except for Burnell who escaped the "pink eye" that Kaden shared with us.) Tovin has started to regain his appetite and everyone is starting to sleep better. On a sickness aside... A couple of nights ago, Kaden came into our bedroom at 2 am and vomited (due to congestion) on B's side of the bed. As I heard it "hitting the deck," I was thankful for hardwood floors and nearby towels from the master bath. Kaden is very prone to crying and hysterics, but instead he was incredulous and awed by the event. His immediate reaction was, " I look like Megan! Did you see that? I just consploded (exploded) puke everywhere! Did you see that?!?" As I cleaned him he laughed about it. We gave him a drink of water and sent him back to bed. Thankfully, Tovin (who was sleeping a few feet away) stayed zonked and was not witness to the amazing "consplosion."

Today we celebrated the lad's special day by staying home and declaring it "Pajama Day." We had frozen waffles for breakfast (special treat for the Simpson boys) and then changed into fresh jammies. My sister had sent some new "hand-me-down" train track and cars for Christmas, but I saved it for an occasion like today. They have been playing with the new trains all day.

We had a mid-morning cupcake celebration with a few gifts. Tovin was bashful during the singing, but had fun blowing out the candles. He was so fast that we had to light them three times for me to get a photo of the event.

One of the presents was a Thomas the Train DVD that we watched before lunch and nap. This is our first Thomas DVD and we are pleased with the quality. The boys don't have too many DVD' s but we are slowly adding to the collection. Tovin also received one about airplanes and flying machines that we'll watch tomorrow.

Last week we had some snow and very frigid temperatures. This is the view from the master bedroom on the second floor. Burnell has his old Farmall tractor parked in the far corner of the property. I tell him that it makes a nice sculpture.

And a posting wouldn't be complete without a cute photo of Megan. Here she is sitting in her Bumbo chair for the first time. The boys love having her down on the floor. Kaden and Megan have a special bond. Whenever Kaden is near she lights up and talks to him. He is always stopping by to play with her feet and say, "I love my baby girl."

We are on the mend and I'm hopeful that we'll be able to host friends next weekend to celebrate Tovin's b-day in style.

Still Little But Growing

2011-01-04T20:23:00.004-05:00

Megan has just turned three-months-old and is still the sweetest thing ever. She is so dainty and happy. She loves to talk and kick her legs. Today she was laughing up a storm and I wasn't even tickling her. Yesterday we started tummy time and she has done well. I've tried in the past only to have her spit up a ton. Today she was pretty good about swallowing her medicine (Prevacid) and she hardly lost any milk at all. Yesterday was a day of mighty spitting, so I think we are still taking it one day at a time.

Her brothers still adore her and love spending time with her.
(I have been attempting to add a cute video of the boys playing with Megan, but have not been able to get it to load.)

We had friends visiting with us on Sunday after church. I broke out the fake moustaches and the kids had so much fun (especially the older boys).

Just a random cute photo of Tovin. He and Kaden were sitting on the couch reading together (Kaden was not cooperating hence no sibling photo).

Last week I baked a chocolate cake and the boys were more than happy to help clean the dishes for me.

I also made stacks of baby pancakes for breakfast. I thought the boys would be so impressed, but they weren't. They didn't comment at all (not even when prodded) and they ate far less than usual. Hmmm? I'm going to attribute it to the fact that Tovin is miserably teething and Kaden has a chest cold.

I continue to be amazed at the views from our windows. Here is sunset on New Year's Day.

Sunrise on January 2nd (New Year's Day was too cloudy).

And sunset last night.

I am usually in the kitchen making dinner so I get a "front row seat" for the sunset. We have a wall of windows in the dining area of the kitchen and it is so lovely and such a blessing.

Silly Simpsons

2010-12-31T21:19:00.007-05:00

We have had a relaxing Christmas vacation. We have all had colds and have mostly stayed home. Today we took a family outing to the Urbana airport where we enjoyed a diner-style lunch while watching airplanes. There were many sweet people there and the kids were a big hit for the elderly patrons.

Here are some photos of our week. Tovin is helping Megan talk on the baby cellphone that she received for Christmas. She is such a chatterbox with sweet smiles and lots of cooing that I don't doubt that it will be become one of her favorite toys.

Burnell and Kaden at the breakfast bar one morning. Hilarious!

Tovin helping to unpack the groceries.

The boys "reading" a new book that arrived from a friend in Japan.

Some photos of our soon-to-be three-month-old.

A very sweet bath photo thanks to my sister Tracey as photographer. We think that Megan's looks are changing. She is now reminding us of big brother Kaden (her mouth and shape of face).

This photo just makes me laugh. She is so adorable that I just want to smother her with smooches.

And finally some photos from Christmas morning. The boys were patiently waiting for Burnell to come downstairs so that they could open presents. To keep themselves busy, they stacked the packages while Kaden sang "Happy Birthday Jesus."

It has been my tradition to have new Christmas jammies for the kids. They have to be wintry in pattern and they are to be worn Christmas Eve so that they wake dressed in them for Christmas morning (this year I even had a "back-up" set for Kaden in case he had a nighttime bed-wetting accident). My new tradition is a Christmas cake. Kaden saw one in a Japanese Christmas book (a Christmas cake is very popular in Japan) and began asking for one. One morning, after I told him that I would make a cake for him, he said, "I think Jesus will share his (birthday) cake with me. " This year's cake was hastily thrown together on Christmas day. In the future, I plan to be more elaborate and serve it on Christmas Eve. I made a sponge cake covered in whipped cream with a raspberry filling (jam mixed with whipped cream). The angels (Lindt chocolates) are the "Heavenly Hosts Singing Hallelujah" and the kiwi and raspberries are attempting to be healthy and festive at the same time.

Well, it's 10:15 pm on New Year's Eve and the whole family is in bed (besides me). Burnell has never been interested in staying up to greet the new year. When we were first married, I used to stay up late by myself to watch the New York Time's Square festivities. I think that the lonely "ball drop" watching only lasted two years. It just isn't fun doing it alone. Today I was reminiscing about how I used to get dressed up and go out with friends. With three munchkins in the house and after more than three years of "sleep deprivation" I will gladly finish my tea and head to bed as well. Happy New Year!

In the Frosty Air

2010-12-18T15:02:00.004-05:00

We have been having such cold snowy weather for the past two weeks. I have a feeling (a very chilly one) that we will be snowed-in or frozen for much of the winter season. The boys have not been out because it's just too cold and too much work to bundle them and allow them to be out for all of ten minutes. Megan has three cute "hand-me-down" snowsuits but I don't when we might use them. Hopefully by March the temperatures will rise to the 35-40 degree mark so that we can play outdoors. Yes, I realize that I sound a bit pessimistic. After two weeks of being in the house, the boys and I are already coming down with a case of cabin fever. I think the cure would be a sunny trip to Florida!

Here are a few more photos that I took the day that B's mom left to return to Spokane. She doesn't want to be in the picture so I tried to "avoid" her when possible. The boys are being silly with underwear hats and Megan is just as cute as a button.

Burnell was spending a few moments chatting with his little girl. I have the feeling that, like big brother Kaden, she will be an unending stream of communication.

Kaden is very excited about Christmas this year. He was very excited to decorate our house (very minimal this year) and make the gingerbread train and houses. He also wants to eat lots of marshmallows and candy canes. He keeps telling us that he wants to put presents under the tree so that he can unwrap them. Meanwhile, Tovin is in love with gingerbread men. Here he is with cookie number three of the season. The first two he munched quickly as he is very much a boy who likes to eat. This time he was just so happy to look at the cookie and kiss the cookie. He sat at the table for an hour with it before he really started to eat. He shared a bite or two with Kaden but he was determined to finish the cookie before being excused from the table.

Megan is getting a little too long to bathe in the kitchen sink. She loves the water and wiggles around so much that she often bumps her head. This week we introduced her to the big bath tub.

My sister Tracey is coming for a visit this week. We will try to do some shopping and some baking. The boys are very excited that we plan to make gingerbread men and Kaden would like another batch of homemade marshmallows.

Visit with Grandma

2010-12-13T09:24:00.007-05:00

Burnell's mom flew in from Spokane, WA to visit with us. We had a really nice week with her and she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren. Due to cold, wintry weather we mostly stayed home but we did manage a couple of lunches out and a trip to Columbus for a visit to the Franklin Park Conservatory.

The Conservatory had a seasonal train and gingerbread house display. The boys spent a long time watching the trains go around the track and they were reluctant to move on. The gingerbread house competition was neat with lots of variety in the structures and themes. Kaden walked away wanting a big marshmallow (some of the displays used marshmallows for decoration) and Tovin wanted to eat a gingerbread man. Later in the day we found a gingerbread man for both of them and they were very content to nibble on the way home. The following day, I made homemade marshmallows to satisfy Kaden's craving.

Grandma Bel spent much time reading and singing to the boys. Kaden was happy to share his train DVD with her. Here are the boys in their "video-watching" positions on the couch. For the start of the video, they sit closely side-by-side until Tovin gets bored and wanders off.

Most often though Grandma Bel was helping with dishes or holding Megan. Megan is the sweetest thing but is still having much difficulty keeping milk in her tummy. Grandma Bel did a lot of burping and wiping up baby puke. We just started a new medicine last night, but so far it doesn't seem to be helping either. We'll give it a couple of more days, but if she is still vomiting the doctor would like for us to take her to Children's Hospital for a sonogram and other tests. Today she is miserable and her tummy seems to be quite distressed. She is so very tired, but can't go to sleep or stay asleep. Please pray that this will pass quickly, either via medicine or just "growing out of it."

I'll sign off with some photos of the boys in the tub. Burnell entertained them by giving them extra bubbles.

First Snowfall

2010-12-01T08:08:00.007-05:00

It has been a busy month and I have had no extra time to update the blog but I'm hoping to not let another month go by without posting. Burnell went to Japan for a 9 day business trip. I had lots of help while he was gone, but it was still exhausting being the main care-taker for the three munchkins. When he returned home, he brought us lots of nice Japanese gifts. The boys are enjoying several new vehicles and trains.

Burnell was able to spend time with a Japanese couple that he used to ride (bicycles) with when we lived in Utsunomiya. They sent him home with many new farming and construction vehicles. This is a Japanese combine for harvesting rice. A very cool gift for a boy who loves combines and tractors!

Kaden has also wanted a roller, grader and crane for the longest time. Burnell's friends gave the boys all three. Arigato!

Burnell brought us home many Japanese books for children and we have been reading them everyday. I am amazed that I can read and understand most of them. I received lots of green tea, some chocolates and a couple of Hello Kitty pens. The boys adn I were sharing Pocky (chocolate covered cookie sticks) when Tovin decided to play peek-a-boo. He's such a funny mess.

This morning, as we ate our breakfast of waffles and berries, we watched the first snow flakes of the season. The boys were very excited and Kaden kept asking to go out to touch it and dig in it. Later in the day, I bundled them and out we went. Kaden and Tovin are going to enjoy our winter wonderland this year.

As for our little Miss Megan... little is the key word! At the age of two-months she is just about 9 pounds and 22 inches. She has been growing well enough to be declared healthy by the doctor, but is just a dainty girl. She has always had trouble keeping her milk down (lots and lots of baby puke!) and was starting to have trouble sleeping, so we decided to try an antacid to help with the reflux. She has been taking Zantac for two days and we think it is helping. She seems to have a better appetite and is not throwing up as much. She is napping better and her "baby acne" has improved dramatically. Coincidence? After a few more days of medicine, we'll know for sure whether or not she is on the mend.

Here are a few recent photos of our sweetie.

The boys are still in love with her, although Tovin gets a little jealous and wants me to put her down so that he can have my lap all to himself. She loves to coo at us and has very bright eyes. She does a good job of holding up her tiny head and will watch the boys move around the room as they play. The boys often say, "When Baby gets bigger, she will ..." Yes, Baby will get bigger soon, but for now I'm enjoying her cute smallness.

First Month

2010-11-03T19:40:00.005-04:00

Today little Megan turns one-month. She had a check-up last week and is doing well. She is growing at a good pace but is still so small. Last week at her 3-week visit she was 7 pounds 9 ounces and 21 inches long. She is still wearing newborn sized clothing but I think that she might be ready to bust into the 0-3 month size by next week. Amazing to me because by this age the boys were already wearing 3-6 month sizes. Once she can fit the 3 month size she will have quite the wardrobe. Hopefully by next month, I can start to dress her in some fancy duds.

Here are some photos of the boys at play.

Two weeks ago we finally took the time to visit Marmon Valley Farm (a large Christian camp and petting farm). They are mostly known for their horses. It seemed that most of the activities are geared towards the 7 years and older crowd, but we still enjoyed walking around with the family and our friends.

The sunsets are getting earlier, but no less beautiful. Some evenings the colors are faint and delicate. Some evenings the colors are firey and energized. Today I was wondering if Kaden and Tovin would appreciate the beauty of a sunset when they are older. They see them all the time and I doubt they know what a privilege that is.

Speaking of privileges... Saturday morning, while at the breakfast table, we were watching deer graze in the surrounding corn fields, when this six-point buck meandered through our back yard. B guesses that he was about 75 yards away. What a treat to watch while eating toast and sipping coffee.

Actually, sitting to sip coffee or do anything else is a treat these days. With three little demanding bodies to care for, there isn't much relaxing of any kind happening at our house.

And Baby Makes Five

2010-10-19T15:34:00.009-04:00

Well, another week has flown by and I am finally trying to update our blog. We are tired but doing well. We were tired before Megan arrived, so now just a little bit more so. She is doing well, but has the usual newborn tummy troubles. When it comes to burping (more like belching!) and projectile spitting of milk, Megan definitely out does her brothers. Here are a few photos of our second week.

The boys love to hold, pat and kiss her. They are always asking to see her and are "in her face" as much as I will allow. This is the usual scene if I nurse her within their reach. I sit on the couch wiping her spit-up while they scamper all about like frisky little puppies.

Megan has been very sleepy and this is the typical expression that I get when I try to rouse her. She will crack one eye open and then close them again. I give her a minute and then she'll stretch and yawn like a groggy teenager. I told B that someday she will be the one that we have to drag out of bed at 10 in the morning.

A few random new baby poses.

The first week that Megan and I were home, B was able to take Kaden to a nearby farm for a ride in a combine harvester. Kaden was thrilled (and B had fun too!) to get a tour of the big machine and sit in the cab while harvesting soy beans.

B also captured some very nice photos of the boys playing outside during our week of "Indian Summer" weather.

B was busy with the camera that first week home. He captured some photos of our little Tovin at the table. Tovin is an enthusiastic eater and makes quite a mess. He is also becoming quite the ham and he knows how to be funny.

Well, Burnell was home with the family the first week. My mom was here during Megan's second week (BIG THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK, MOM!). This week, I am on my own with three munchkins. So far (day 2) it is going well. A little hectic, but not impossibly so. I'm sure there will be days, when I just want to run away or that I'm so tired I just want to cry, but for now we are doing well.

Our New Arrival

2010-10-08T11:03:00.006-04:00

Megan Kay Simpson was born on Sunday, October 3rd at 9:08 a.m. She is a sweet little bundle of 6 pounds 4 ounces and 19 inches. It was a long (but rather dull) 15-hour labor followed by a very fast birth. We were released early from the hospital and we returned home on Monday afternoon. I have been feeling well and so far she is a great little eater and sleeper. She is a very content little girl and is greatly admired by her big brothers.

Our family tradition has been to have a BIRTHday celebration on the BIRTH day. Here is little Megan's cake. It was fun to have one that was so pink and frilly. It was delish as well with white cake and strawberry filling from our favorite Marysville cake shop, The Ribbon Box.

Here is our little munchkin getting her first home bath. Kaden was helping and Tovin was spectating.

And finally photos from yesterday. She is very alert when she's awake, but for now she is mostly asleep.

It has been a busy week between caring for Megan and keeping up with the boys. We have family coming for a visit so hopefully we'll be able to pause for a few more photo sessions.

Pumpkin Patch

2010-10-02T14:53:00.008-04:00

Today is chilly, wet, and very fall-like. Before the rain settled in we took a morning trip to a local farm to gather our pumpkins. Here are some photos from our outing.

Customers were able to purchase pumpkins by the pound or participate in an all-you-can-carry armload for 12 dollars. B was excited to see how many he could hold. As we walked to the pumpkin pile, Kaden started to have a "meltdown." As usual, he was overwhelmed by the number of people milling about and the newness of it all. I usually take way too much time in selecting the "perfect" pumpkin with just the right stem and personality, but this year was all about getting the job done as fast as possible. B doesn't have much patience for my method of selecting pumpkins and Kaden was standing at his feet screaming and begging for papa to hold him. Tovin had a blast handing me pumpkins to give to papa. We had B loaded up quickly and got our pumpkins to the wagon.

As B turned around, he said, "Take a look at that guy. I should have tried harder to get more."

I had to remind him that those men didn't have screaming children to attend to and that we had plenty of pumpkins in our wagon. Maybe next year Kaden will be able to relax a little and enjoy the pumpkins as much as his younger brother.

Tovin took a particular liking to this giant pumpkin. He said "hug" as he put his arms around it.

There were many pre-schooler activities available as well. We (as in Burnell) chose to ignore the games and bouncing machines. However, we did stop at the pony ride station. It was a sad little pony enclosure with tired, dirty little ponies, but the boys were excited about the idea of riding a horse. When it was our turn to mount up, Kaden was too nervous to go through with it even with B walking beside him. Tovin was a little hesitant but relaxed as we walked around the circle. Not a great photo op, but at least one of our boys has had his first pony ride. Gotta start somewhere.

When we returned home, B built us a cozy fire in our new wood-burning stove. Today was a perfect day for pumpkins and autumn napping.

On a different note, I am posting some photos of the boys with Burnell's dad and some photos of Tovin with his many hats. Tovin loves hats and shoes and this past week has been happy to try on many different ones.

This morning as I was packing our bag to head off to the pumpkin festival, Tovin found a (clean) pair of Kaden's underwear and immediately improvised a hat. Kaden came down from using the toilet and decided to join Tovin instead of putting his underpants back where they belong.

They have been very much "all boy" this week! Speaking of boys, it's obvious that this posting contains no mention of a little girl. We are now one week past her due date and still waiting! I really thought she'd be a week early, not a week or more overdue. I am happy that she'll have an October birthday because we enjoy this month so much. I am also thankful that she is late because it has given us the opportunity to do some fall activities with the boys.

Overdue

2010-09-27T09:23:00.009-04:00

Well, I really thought that our Little Miss would have arrived by now, but we are officially two days overdue and still waiting. I am getting a bit uncomfortable, but am still willing to wait for her arrival because I am overwhelmed by the thought of caring for a newborn while trying to keep up with the boys. Last week my mom visited with us with the hope of holding a new granddaughter. She had to leave yesterday and we were sad that she had to go "empty-handed." I was very thankful to have her with us for the week even if she didn't get to be here for the birth. She was great at changing diapers, cleaning messes, washing dishes and bathing the boys. We were able to decorate the nursery a bit, but I still need to organize baby laundry and clean the nursery. Hopefully, I'll get that done today.

Saturday the 25th was a gorgeous day with cooler temps and plenty of sunshine. We decided to go to an orchard to pick apples. Kaden was so excited about the orchard and the promise of a wagon ride. First we went to Yellow Springs and had a nice family lunch at The Winds Cafe. B and I hadn't been there in years and have been hesitant to go with the boys. The little men did a great job of eating and playing quietly.

As soon as we arrived at the orchard, the boys found these little vehicles. They were so happy to play with them while we waited for the tractor and wagon to take us to the orchard.

We were able to gather Golden Delicious and Jonagold. The Winesap variety that I really like wasn't yet ready for picking. It really was a nice orchard with healthy trees. We had fun gathering lots of apples for Grammy Fox to take back to Pennsylvania with her. I bought a large bag as well and I hope to get a couple of batches of apple butter made before the end of the day.

Here is the most recent (possibly last?) pregnant photo. This is Baby Girl picking apples on her due date.

I am including this photo because this is how Tovin has been holding his fingers for the last few weeks. He also has a good pouty lip.

I'll sign off with some photos of B spending time with the boys and a photo of yesterday evening's sunset.

Harvest Time

2010-09-19T09:33:00.004-04:00

The farmers are starting to harvest the beans and corn crops. Much to our delight we have front row seats for much of the action. The boys have been up close and personal to combines and tractors. These farmers have been working in the fields just across the road from our house.

A farmer at our church has offered to let Kaden tour his combine, so I'm hopeful that he gets a chance to do so soon before all of the crops have been gathered. He's really excited about the possibility.

As I've mentioned, we get to witness daily sunrises and sunsets. Last week we had a particularly dramatic sunrise. How amazing!

We are just under a week until baby's due date. I really thought she'd be here by now, but I'm content to wait. I am still working on getting the nursery in order. Also, Tovin is now transitioning to his "big boy" bed. Yesterday his crib was moved to the nursery and last night was his first night in the twin bed. It took about an hour of putting him back in bed before he fell asleep. He slept well through the night until Kaden woke around 6 am. Since he normally sleeps until 8 am, he'll be rather sleepy by nap time so maybe that will work to my advantage. This morning he accomplished another milestone. I came downstairs from getting dressed only to find him sitting on a barstool at the kitchen counter. Not only is it a very tall stool and bar, but he also had his hand stuck in a glass pitcher that was on the counter. Nothing is safe from our monkey!

38 Weeks... and Counting

2010-09-12T06:53:00.004-04:00

This photo is from a week ago when we started 37 weeks. So far all seems well and we are just waiting for Baby Girl's arrival. I am packed for the hospital and I've washed baby laundry. I still have some sorting and organizing that I'd like to get done before she arrives.

Here are photos from our week.

We bought matching twin beds for the boys. I was planning to move Tovin to Kaden's crib-sized toddler daybed, but B said he wants to set up both beds and move Tovin's crib to the nursery. Tovin is pretty spunky and athletic so we think he can handle the big bed without too much of a learning curve. I went into his room earlier this week and he was crammed into his bed in this position. Maybe our lanky 19-month-old is ready for more wiggle room.

Tovin is our little love bug. He likes to hug and kiss spontaneously. He likes to share his drink and food with everyone. He was sharing with his new friend George one evening. Often he will talk to the houseflies and try to persuade them to join him for a snack. He will say, "Hi, fly. Kiss fly (smooching sounds)." He will then hold out his cup and say, "share drink" while smiling and making drinking sounds.

Burnell had the boys outside in the evening and as the sun was setting they sat to play on the hillside by our drive.

We had our septic system pumped one morning which provided enough entertainment for them that I was able to clear the breakfast table without interruption. Now Kaden wants to go to the store to find a septic truck to add to his arsenal of vehicles.

We took them to Urbana for a small plane "fly-in." The weather was very pleasant and they were very excited about all of the planes coming and going as well as the golf carts zipping here and there. It was hard to get a good photo as they were running about and busy looking at all the activity.

Later when we returned home, B was trying to nap on the floor. The boys decided to play a game of "Hop on Pop."

Burnell's Dad and Stepmom are here for a visit. We met them for lunch one day and hope to do a few other activities before baby arrives.

Let's Go Fly a Kite!

2010-09-04T21:47:00.005-04:00

Today was a gorgeous day. It was very windy and slightly chilly with plenty of sunshine. We were so thankful to have a break from the summer heat and humidity. We spent the morning at the local park, where we walked through a flea market and saw many, many antique tractors and steam engines. When we returned home, Burnell got out Kaden's kite and we had fun flying it together in our new front yard.

I thought I'd share some photos of our wonderful views. We are so blessed that each day we get to watch the sunrise and the sunset. The corn that surrounds us is almost ready for harvest. Friday morning, Kaden and I watched two deer cross the road in front of our house. Burnell "planted" 10 pheasant this week and is hopeful that they will do well in our back acreage (the tall grass in front of the cornfield).

The backyard:

The front lawn and drive:

The view from our front porch/patio (where we can enjoy the sunset):

We have been here for a month and although there is much more organizing and unpacking to do, we spend as much time outdoors as possible. Wouldn't you?

Birthday Boy

2010-09-03T16:02:00.005-04:00

I am finally getting around to posting photos from Kaden's birthday celebration. He received a few gifts by mail and we had a small party for him last weekend.

Tovin was glad to help him open a box from Grandma Bel (B's mom).

Aunt Tracey sent a lunch bag. They had fun playing with their new "purse."

Grammy and Pappy Fox sent a gift from Target.com so it didn't have wrapping. Burnell made Kaden cover his eyes as he handed it over to him.

We could not believe that Burnell had to fetch a screwdriver to remove the backhoe from the box. After removing these screws and taking it out of the packaging, Burnell had to remove a few more from the vehicle. Crazy!

He was very excited about his tractor cake and John Deere party. Before the cake was served he sampled a couple of it's gumdrops and M&M's. I think that this was the first time that the boys have eaten M&M's and they were quite the hit.

And finally, during the party Burnell took a photo of the baby belly. Not a very attractive photo in my opinion, but it's all that I've got. This was at the start of 36 weeks. Today marks the beginning of 37 weeks. I still need to pack for the hospital and prepare the bassinet. I can't believe that in a few short weeks (if not sooner) we'll have a newborn in the house.

The New House

2010-08-23T15:08:00.009-04:00

We have finally gotten our internet service up and running and after two weeks of being in the new house are finally starting to settle in a bit. We still have many, many boxes to unpack and lots of organizing to do, but at least we feel like we are "living" again and not lost in chaos. We could not have done the move without help from our new church family. We moved to our new home to be closer to church and it has been such a blessing to us.

Here are a few photos from the first week. The boys have been so eager to help with boxes! Burnell and I try to get as much done as we can AFTER they go to bed. The first week was hectic because B was in Canada for work and the boys were climbing all over the house and on all of the boxes. We now have most of the main living area cleared and B has installed "baby gates" at the stairs so that I'm not chasing them all over the place.

When we aren't unpacking or napping, we love to be outside enjoying the ten acres. B has been teaching the boys how to weed the tomatoes and the many flower beds. While in the tomato patch B discovered a horn worm which is not good news for the plants. The sellers of the house told me that earlier in the season there was an infestation of them and that they have to be removed and squashed. Yuck! The tomatoes seem like they are about done for the season, so I'll let the worm have the rest. I'll gear up to wage battle next summer.

Kaden has been using this big dump truck to collect tomatoes and weeds. Of course, it sees its share of dirt (our backyard is one big natural sand pit) and the occasional truck wash (thanks to the garden hose). Yesterday and today he had so much fun running along the paths that B cut through the tall grass. He pushes this truck so fast that Tovin and I can't keep up with him. They are both covered in scratches and bruises from falling and playing, but neither can resist the tall, tough "ouchie grass" (as Kaden calls it).

They love running weeds to the compost pile. One evening Kaden said, " That was good work!"

B has been cutting some of the tall grass with his tractor and Kaden loves to drive with him. Tovin took his first spin and was a bit nervous. He was glad to climb down to Mama's arms after just a couple of minutes.

Our yard is filled with beautiful butterflies, chirping crickets and a large praying mantis. We also have tons of flies and a few mice, but who wants to talk about those! Saturday morning Kaden discovered a toad. I had taken Kaden outside so that Tovin could sleep a bit longer without being disturbed by the noises of big brother. (Yes, Kaden still gets up at 5:30 and Tovin likes to sleep until 8:00 and they now share a bedroom). Here he is getting acquainted with the big guy.

I hope that you have enjoyed the update. Now back to the unpacking and caring of little men I go.

Before the Move

2010-08-23T14:42:00.004-04:00

The week of the move, we baked cookies for the Marysville Fire Dept. and I took the boys for one "last" walk to the station. We will miss being able to walk to the library, post office and fire house on a regular basis.

My parents came for a short visit the week of the move and were a big help with watching the boys while I cleaned the two houses. We took the boys on an outing to J.D. Power Supply in London, OH and then stopped for lunch at Der Dutchman Restaurant. The boys had a lot of fun climbing on all things green and big. Kaden really likes the power operated toys (mini-Gator and tractors), but I once again explained that they cost too much money. I'd love to indulge him, but $350 definitely is not our idea of an appropriate gift for a three-year-old. I was able to purchase some John Deere videos and plastic cups for his upcoming birthday party.

At 35 weeks we still have not managed to get any "belly shots" of me with munchkinette. Here is Kaden filling in for me.

The boys love to hug my belly and talk to the baby. They also like to pretend to be babies and play "baby" with their toys. However, their babies are always crying. I told them that our babies don't always have to be crying (at least I hope not!).

Another Half-Birthday

2010-07-17T16:29:00.006-04:00

Earlier this week Tovin turned 18-months-old and we celebrated with cupcakes. Kaden really enjoyed singing to Tovin throughout the day, but chose not to sing during the actual cupcake with candle event. Both boys had a wonderful time with their cupcakes. We have cupcakes fairly often around here, but Kaden knew that these were party cupcakes so he seemed to think that they were extra special.

After the "party" the boys played a rousing game of "Towing Tovin" before being settled for bed. Most days Kaden is fully dressed, but he still has enough "accidents" that sometimes he remembers to use the toilet better if he is only in underwear. He is doing well, but I am hopeful that within the next couple of months, we can kiss wet or dirty underwear goodbye.

Burnell invented a spinning game that they loved. He is thankful that, although they highly enjoyed a few spins at his expense, they have not remembered to request it again. He said it was exhausting!

Yesterday, we went to the Plain City tractor parade. It is an annual event (51st year!) but it was our first time. We really enjoyed the hour-and-a-half parade of tractors (mostly vintage) and farming machinery. There was also a band, a few horses and a couple of fire trucks.

The boys especially liked these little cars with loud horns.

I especially liked the miniature "combine." Burnell dismissed it as a toy that belongs to someone with too much time on his hands. I think Kaden was a little confused that it wasn't as large as the impressive combines that we often see in the fields.

We have taken a week or so off from the packing, but with only three weeks left until the big move, we need to be diligent about staying up late to sort and box up things. It is so tempting to go to bed with the boys or to choose to watch a movie instead. We now have the keys to the new house and the painters start work on Monday, so we'd better not delay or moving day will turn into a hectic nightmare.

Vacation Week

2010-07-08T07:23:00.006-04:00

Time sure does zip by quickly these days, but we had a fairly relaxing week during Burnell's vacation. With the exception of a day trip to Amish Country (Wooster area), we stayed close to home. We took a few trips to the park and went out for lunch a couple of times. We enjoyed a week of cooler temps and sunshine. This week it is hot, hot, hot!

We took the boys to the Columbus Symphony's Popcorn Pops concert. It is held outdoors and it was our first time attending the children's version (earlier start time and shorter program). The boys seemed to enjoy the music. Kaden spent a good amount of time chasing with papa on the open grassy area. I spent most of the evening chasing Tovin as he visited every other blanket other than ours.

The boys did very well on our 2.5 hour drive to Eastern Ohio. The weather was perfect and the farm scenery was beautiful. We stopped at Lehman's Hardware Store to browse and purchase a croquet set for the new house/yard. They have a great toy section and the boys were happy with the treasures they found. Kaden brought home a miniature skid steer and grader. Tovin picked out a small horse. We were able to have a picnic near the parking lot and stretch our legs before doing our shopping.

I wanted to attend a 4th of July parade and fireworks, but it didn't happen. I haven't seen fireworks in years, but we decided not to have the boys out until midnight and then expect them to leave the house at 8:15 the next morning to go to church. Here they are hanging out with B the day of the 4th.

And finally a few recent photos of Tovin. I'd like to include some of Kaden but he hasn't been very photogenic lately. It's really hard to choose a favorite from these, but B and I think that the standing fire chief is hilarious.

We still have a lot of packing to do and didn't accomplish as much as we would have liked to when B was on vacation. It seems that the first week of August will be moving week. We are really excited to move into the new home and have some quiet around us.

Photo Montage

2010-06-23T08:21:00.008-04:00

I finally uploaded our photos from the past two weeks. The past month has been rather busy for us. We have decided not to build on the property that we purchased 18-months ago. Instead, we have looked for a place near our new church and are now home owners! It was all rather sudden and we have bought the first and only house that we toured. I think that it is the only house that B and I have both been excited about at the same time. We have fairly different tastes, so we know by now that when we are out shopping and we both like the same thing that it is worth the investment. We do not doubt that God was in the details of the whole deal. We are amazed at His goodness! We plan to move next month. In the meantime, we are trying to pack little-by-little after the boys go to bed. We will be in the country (there is a cornfield "next door"), but just north of a cute town called West Liberty. The children will have 10 acres to roam and we look forward to a huge garden and many berry bushes. Do you know anyone wanting to purchase a beautiful 10 acres in North Lewisburg?

We had a nice visit with my sister Tracey. We went to the Columbus Park of Roses and then had a nice lunch in German Village.

The restaurant Barcelona has a pretty patio with a Koi pond and fountain. Kaden really enjoyed looking at the fish. They were a nice distraction as he was finished with his lunch well before the rest of us.

We spent a morning at the zoo and were able to visit the new bear habitat. The grizzlies were playing near the glass and we had fun watching them wrestle in the water. We also got to see one of the new polar bears. They are young but will soon grow into their status as the largest bear. We got caught in a thunderstorm, so we skipped our usual visit to the aquarium. We did however stop to see the new baby manatees and stingrays. The boys are fascinated by the sting rays that swim right up against the glass at (their) eye-level. Kaden has been singing the Veggie Tales "Barbara Manatee" so I purchased a little stuffed manatee for him and he has been loving it dearly. It has a place of honor in his bed along with his scruffy cat.

For Father's Day weekend, we drove to Urbana to see some airplanes. It was a gorgeous day to be out and about as a family. Kaden was amazed by the huge propeller and the radio-controlled airplanes on display.

The boys were happy to spend time in a golf cart. As we were walking to visit some outdoor planes near a runway, we were offered a lift. Even B and I had fun zipping around in the cart with the wind blowing through our hair. The boys were tickled by the experience.

After our airport visit and a quick stop at a local sandwich shop, we drove to a lavender festival. It was held at a small lavender farm in Urbana that was holding its second annual festival. We didn't purchase any soaps or bouquets, but it was a nice outing just the same. We enjoyed the sunshine and sips of Lavender Iced Tea and Lavender Lemonaid (garnished with sprigs of lavender of course). We are excited about planting our own lavender and Burnell spent some time getting a few pointers from the owner.

After church on Sunday, B decided to take us out for lunch. We weren't planning on it, but it turned out to be a good idea. We went to a newer restaurant in Bellefontaine (about 15-20 minutes north of church and our new home). The atmosphere was classy and the food very good. The owner came to the table to deliver a little box of chocolates and wish B a "Happy Father's Day." We are looking forward to a return visit, but perhaps without the little men. I think that B really enjoyed his special weekend.

Summer Days

2010-06-09T09:06:00.005-04:00

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted last. We have been healthy, but not doing much of anything exciting. I have been really tired, but baby girl seems to be healthy. She gets a little stronger each day. I can feel her moving around, but so far no strong kicks or hiccups. We have yet (at week 24) to take any belly shots. Here are a few photos from the past couple of weeks.

The boys like to share Kaden's chair. Tovin has been trying his hand at coloring.

The library has two future participants for the summer reading programs.

The boys like to hang form Burnell's inversion bar. Tovin will actually get a good grip and hang by himself for a few seconds. This time he decided to bite the bar. Kaden thought it was funny and copied it, but he doesn't hang unassisted.

I bought a cheap little tent for the boys thinking it would be a good summer activity to keep them occupied in the back yard. It was fun for about a minute. Since it was so inexpensive, it doesn't have any stakes to hold it to the ground. Within a minute Tovin had it toppled. I put it back together, but within 30 seconds the boys were trapped inside again as it flipped and rolled. After three attempts, they lost interest and we haven't used it since. Next year, we'll invest in a real tent for them. Here they are having fun climbing in and out and then rolling over in it.

We went to a new park that has a water play area for pre-schoolers.

It was a cute farm theme and there was even a big tractor to explore.

Kaden was milking (squirting water) the cow, but Tovin didn't try it. They both had fun at the outdoor shower.

My sister Tracey is arriving for a visit and we plan to go to the rose garden and the zoo. We only get to visit about once a year so I'm looking forward to the next few days.

Fun on the Farm

2010-05-18T09:57:00.006-04:00

Well, today marks our eighth wedding anniversary. In the past we have taken romantic little weekend trips to celebrate. Since the boys arrived, we have opted for a nice lunch out as a family. This year... not much goin' on. Over the weekend we drove to Malabar Farm in Lucas, OH. It was a scenic 1.5 hour drive and a gorgeous day. We enjoyed the sun and a walk around the farm, but I don't think it really qualifies as an anniversary celebration.

We arrived at lunchtime, so after visiting the little hands-on museum (about animals and recycling), we had a picnic lunch before exploring the grounds. Kaden has recently discovered the joy of drinking Orangina (orange soda). A few weeks ago, B bought some to help me recover from the flu. Kaden took an immediate liking to it and was pleased to have his own bottle for the picnic. However, he sampled Papa's root beer and then wanted to have both bottles.

Much to Kaden's delight, there were plenty of tractors.

Our purpose for going on Saturday was so that we could watch the fields being plowed by horses. The boys were really intrigued by the event. We were invited to get up close and meet a few of the big Percherons. Kaden touched the nose of one, but really wanted to touch the feet (Sorry Bug, too dangerous!). Tovin was a bit spooked when we were close to the horse's face. He didn't cry and he seemed to enjoy the experience. He just didn't want to reach out and touch.

The boys had plenty of space to run and Kaden was able to feed the turkeys a small handful of corn. When our corn was gone and it was time to go, he commented that he wanted to give the turkeys more "cottage cheese." Check out Kaden's new pose for the camera. This is his "cheeeese" face!

By the time that we headed for home it was well past nap time and both boys were a little "slap happy." Tovin had fun playing with his feet before quickly falling asleep. He hasn't done this since last summer, so it was cute to see him being goofy.

Kaden did not fall asleep until we were 15 minutes from home. He was so tired, but he kept singing and talking (loudly) until he crashed. B decided to extend our drive a bit so that they could nap a little longer. He took us to Dublin so that we could have ice cream at Jeni's before going home for dinner. It's a shame that I left the camera in the car, because B bought Kaden his first "own" ice cream cone (sugar cone with pistachio ice cream and rainbow sprinkles). Kaden was thrilled to have his own cone. After a while, he tired of the ice cream and just wanted to eat the cone. He did the classic "bite the bottom off the cone" because he didn't want to finish the ice cream at the top. I wish I would have gotten pics of their happy ice cream covered faces.

Sleeping Beauty

2010-05-18T09:12:00.005-04:00

For the past week or so, the boys have had trouble sleeping. Tovin has been having difficulty settling into a deep sleep and Kaden has been waking earlier than his usual early. To make it even more difficult, when Kaden wakes up in the morning, he has been waking Tovin as well. If left undisturbed, Tovin will usually sleep until 8 am. He is not fond of the 5 am wake-up from big brother. Usually he can go back to sleep, but for some reason has had trouble doing so recently.

Last week, I put Tovin back to bed after breakfast because he was so tired. I was reading to Kaden and could hardly keep my eyes open, so I suggested that Kaden and I rest together on the couch. Kaden wiggled about for a few minutes and then fell asleep. I was able to snooze for about 10 minutes before Tovin woke. Kaden was sleeping so soundly that he stayed "zonked" for about 30 minutes even though Tovin was crawling around him and on him.

As Burnell left for work this morning, he commented on how tired we are (last night both boys kept waking). I laughed and reminded him that in a few months, this level of sleep deprivation will be the norm.

Sugar and Spice

2010-05-04T15:30:00.004-04:00

And everything nice, that's what our LITTLE GIRL is made of!

We have learned that we are having a girl! We were sort of assuming that it was another boy, so it took a few hours for the shock to wear off, but we are now embracing the idea of two men and a young lady for the Simpson family.

She seems to be healthy and the due date is still September 25th. For most of our sonogram appointment she was curled into a ball with her hands by her ears and her chin to her belly. It was difficult to get a nice profile of her due to her position, but at least she wasn't shy in showing us her gender!

Now comes the joy of thinking about a name for the muchkinette!

Visit with Grammy

2010-05-04T13:26:00.005-04:00

Unfortunately, I am sick again with the flu. It hit last night and it is "bigger and badder" than the stomach bug that hit me 10 days ago. I am having difficulty keeping any food in my stomach and am mostly just sipping water. Please pray that the germs go away quickly and that the rest of the family stays healthy.

On a more positive note, my mom came for a visit last week. The boys had so much fun with her and I enjoyed her company as well. The weather was nice and we were able to go to German Village (in Columbus) for a picnic in the park.

After our picnic we went to my favorite little coffee and cake shop, Pistacia Vera. The boys were more than ready to crash for their nap, but they managed to sit still for a cookie before we headed for home.

While she was here, we celebrated Mom's birthday and the boys were able to model their new water-play outfits.

Before she left to return to Pennsylvania, we went to get our nails done (B stayed home with the boys) and enjoyed lunch at The Cheescake Factory before doing some shopping. Mom and I haven't spent "girl time" together in many, many years so it was an extra treat. When I returned home, Kaden and Tovin immediately noticed my nails. Kaden wanted to paint his blue, but wasn't too disappointed when I explained that boys don't paint their nails.

Nothin' Doin'

2010-05-03T09:25:00.003-04:00

These photos are from the last couple of weeks. I haven't had much time or energy to post them until now. Kaden is doing well with toilet training as we enter week four. Yesterday he stayed clean and dry all day and mostly without prompting. Last weekend I had a terrible stomach flu. Fortunately it hit on a Saturday and the worse day was Sunday. Burnell was able to care for the boys while I mostly stayed in bed or on the couch. No one else in the family got it so it was a short-lived virus. Today Kaden keeps telling me that his belly hurts and his head is a bit warm. I am hoping that he didn't pick up germs while shaking hands with folks at church yesterday.

Burnell likes to give the boys crazy hair after their bath.

B has been doing most of the grocery shopping lately and he sometimes brings home a nice bunch of flowers for me.

Tovin loves hats and shoes. He was so happy to play with B's work helmet.

The boys were engaging in random brotherly love and I was able to snap a photo. They have so much fun giggling and playing, but it's hard to capture it on "film."

Week in Review

2010-04-15T08:59:00.006-04:00

We have been mostly home for the past few weeks due to a lingering two-week cold and toilet training. Thankfully, the cold is gone and the boys are now sleeping better. As soon as Kaden's cold seemed to be drying up, we dove into potty training. I wasn't looking forward to the experience, but it just needed to be done. He was definitely ready and it is easier to stay indoors for a few days now than later in the spring or summer. The first two days were exhausting for me since I wasn't feeling well, but we are moving right along. There have been daily accidents and frustrations, but it has been a positive experience thus far. We are hoping to do an early morning outing on Saturday, as well as have dinner with friends that evening. And unless there is a major regression in the next couple of days, we are planning to attend church Sunday morning. Tomorrow I will work on packing lots of extra clothing to keep on hand in the van.

Tovin is now able to climb onto anything his little heart desires. His favorite perch is Kaden's high chair. He loves to eat and will quickly make his way to the table as soon as you mention food. However, instead of climbing into his chair, he climbs into big brother's. The other day I walked into the dining room and they were both sitting in Kaden's chair and Kaden had his arm around Tovin. It is very sweet how much they enjoy each other. Tovin loves to feed himself. Now that he feels that he has mastered the fork, he insists on using a spoon. He is getting better and is very happy, but it is quite messy.

Last week when the colds were still keeping us from playing with others, but after we had cleared the most miserable part of it, I took the boys on an outing to enjoy some jazz. Capital University in Bexley has an annual jazz week which includes outdoor lunch concerts. When I worked there (before moving to Japan) the spring concert series was one of the highlights. It also doesn't hurt that there are many nice magnolia trees and bulb flowers in bloom. There is a new water feature that we enjoyed while having lunch and listening to the music. Kaden wasn't interested in eating because he was mesmerized by the instruments. At times Tovin wanted out of the stroller, but he mostly ate and clapped along to the music.

These two huge magnolia trees are right outside the building where I used to work. My office was on the third floor and for one week each spring, it was as if I were working in a pink cloud.

After the concert ended, the boys enjoyed playing on the grounds and getting a bit of exercise.

The jazz concert day was the nicest of the week. It then turned chilly and rainy so we were back inside for a couple of days. To entertain the boys, I made them a tent. They had fun crawling around and saying "tent." They then had a gigglefest while attacking the camera woman.

Our walk to the cake shop this morning was a nice little breath of fresh air. Everything is turning green and the flowering trees and tulips are lovely. Kaden was "soooo happyyyy" about his cupcake after lunch. They are now napping and after they wake we will head outdoors again and play with some water toys and bubbles. Happy Spring!

First Recitation

2010-04-15T07:30:00.003-04:00

This video is from about three weeks ago. Sorry for the delay in posting it.

Kaden and Tovin have both been growing lately. They seem taller and more mature than just a month ago. Kaden has been helping to set the table and will go "fetch" little things for me. Also, he enjoys vacuuming the floors and is very proud to be a helper. This week he started to wear "big boy" underpants and is doing well with the toilet training. We have had a few accidents each day, but mostly it has been a success. Today is day four of our training and I am planning a short walk around town as our first non-diapered outing. I'm thinking that a trip to the cake shop for a sweet treat will be a welcomed outing for all of us.

Easter Weekend

2010-04-07T08:39:00.002-04:00

It was so nice to have sunny and warm weather for Easter weekend. Burnell had Good Friday as a vacation day, so we took the boys to the zoo. It was the first time this year that they wore shorts and I thought that they looked very cute. The zoo was pretty crowded, so I wasn't able to get any nice photos while we were there. I was hoping to ride the large carousel as a family, but while we were waiting in line Kaden started to get nervous. He looked like he was about to cry at the thought of riding and he readily agreed that we should save the experience for a different day. Burnell wasn't thrilled by the zoo (I didn't expect that he would be), but the boys seemed to enjoy it. We bought the family pass for the year, so I will be taking them throughout the summer for a few hours here and there.

Here they are playing outside after we returned home.

Since the weather was warm, B decided to give the boys haircuts "al fresco." Tovin sat calmly and was quickly released to play while Kaden was in the chair. As usual, Kaden did not enjoy his haircutting experience and just wanted to go play with the water.

On Saturday evening, Burnell's friend Nic came for dinner and brought dessert. He made a Bird's Nest. It was a really cute dessert made of chocolate and shredded wheat and topped with malted eggs. While he was visiting we colored a dozen of eggs. Kaden and Tovin weren't interested in dipping any eggs. Kaden liked coloring on the eggs with crayons and only cracked two of them in the process. Tovin enjoyed tasting the crayons.

On Sunday we were able to visit with friends whom we haven't seen for over three years. When we lived in Columbus, we would often meet up with the Hands to go out for dinner. Fred is currently a pastor of a church that is about 30 minutes from here, so we attended their church and then went out for lunch together. Later in the day we did an egg hunt in our back yard. Kaden was very excited and Tovin quickly understood what he was suppose to do.

After the eggs were gathered, Kaden decided that it would be fun to squirt the eggs (and everything else within range) with water from the spray bottle.

I was really hoping for a lovely family portrait, but it didn't happen. We have had bad colds for over a week and it is difficult to get the boys (including B) to sit/stand still for a photo. Maybe next year.

Spring Snow!

2010-03-27T18:11:00.003-04:00

Yesterday we woke to snow! There were about two inches on the ground and it was pretty cold. Kaden was up at his typical time and after B left for work, we had fun sitting on the couch looking out at the snow. He wanted to read an old Highlight magazine and it just happened to be a winter issue. One of the pages was about a little boy making hot cocoa with cinnamon whipped cream. (Each issue has a child-friendly recipe to try.) It seemed like the perfect spring day to enjoy hot cocoa, so Kaden and I headed to the kitchen.

Shake. Shake. Shake. The recipe called for us to put heavy cream, sugar and cinnamon in a jar and shake until ready. I was surprised at how well it turned out for us.

Kaden enjoyed helping with the whisk. This morning he was happy to whisk the eggs for our French toast. A chef is born!

Enjoying the special treat.

Today was a fairly nice and typical spring day. We drove to West Liberty to have lunch at a cute tea cafe and then browsed a couple of shops. The boys enjoyed having lunch out and were such sweet charmers. Most of the other patrons were elderly and Kaden was very sociable and polite. He made many new friends and calmly sat in his chair to eat his lunch like a little man. He was so proud to be served water in his very own glass and to use adult utensils. After lunch we ordered scones and a pot of tea. The waitress brought Kaden his own child-sized tea cup and saucer. He was so happy to drink tea and use sugar from the sugar bowl because the sugar spoon was "fancy." We went for an afternoon drive with the expectation that they would quickly fall asleep. Not so! They both stayed awake for over an hour, so we headed for home. They stayed awake the whole way home and are now taking very late naps in their beds.

First Picnic

2010-03-22T15:15:00.008-04:00

Saturday was officially the first day of SPRING and to celebrate we decided to head to the property for a family picnic. The weather was very cooperative with warm sunshine and only a slight breeze. We had such a nice time being outside.

Tovin fell asleep just before we arrived so he took a little nap while Kaden explored with Burnell. Kaden enjoyed seeing Papa's tractor and the big stick pile. (B still needs to burn this "beast" as well as finish splitting a lot of firewood for our future fireplace and wood-burning stove.) Kaden also wanted to help by splitting some bark that he found, so he "loaded" it into the log splitter (i.e. He stuck the bark in any hole and crack he could find while making engine noises.)

After our picnic, he had a blast roaming the property with Papa gathering sticks and looking at things. He wouldn't stand still for a photo, but I did manage to capture one of him carrying his "fishing pole."

B was trying to clean up (pull down) a few dead branches while we were there. As I took this photo, he said, "I hope this doesn't break!"

While the big boys were off exploring, Tovin stayed close to the blanket to finish his lunch. He really likes bananas and was happy that he snagged the peel from me. He learned through test tasting, that the peel is not the same as the banana flesh.

After a few hours the boys were getting very tired so we decided to take a drive around the countryside while they napped. B stopped to get me a coffee in Urbana before heading north to the Bellefontaine area. With a hazelnut latte in my hand and two sleeping boys in the back seat, I told B that it was almost like a date. Happy Spring!

Future Farmers of America

2010-03-13T10:22:00.005-05:00

It has been so wonderful to be able to play outdoors this week! On Thursday, I took the boys out for a bit and Tovin had fun sitting on the tractor and climbing the stairs.

Kaden found his shovel and was eager to clear the last remaining patch of snow (which is now completely gone!).

After a bit of shoveling, he then got the garden rake and told me that he was plowing the fields.

The snow that he flung onto the drive quickly became a puddle and by the time we went inside, both boys were muddy and wet. I think that I will have my hands full of dirty little boy laundry this spring!

When we are indoors, Kaden likes to "play games with Tovin" or "being funny with Tovin." One of their favorite games is "Towing Tovin." Kaden pretends to be a flatbed tow truck and hauls Tovin around the house. They both giggle like crazy at this game.

Last weekend Papa opened his barber shop and gave the boys haircuts. It was the first time to use our new "cape." Tovin was first in line and did a wonderful job of being calm. He enjoyed looking at the penguins on the haircutting cape and didn't seem to mind the experience at all. I took him upstairs for his bath and B put Kaden in the chair. Kaden had a major fit! He screamed and cried hysterically the whole time! He is an emotional little man. Sometimes he does well for the haircut and at other times not well at all. Poor Papa! B was extremely patient and understanding and they both received good haircuts in spite of the drama.

Spring is in the Air

2010-03-09T08:04:00.007-05:00

We are finally getting a taste of spring weather. It might rain a bit this week, but the snow is melting quickly and the sun is shining. The boys and I were outside yesterday for a bit and it was nice to feel the warm sun and get a little fresh air. Last week we were out when it was still quite cold and snowy. I wanted to take a photo of Tovin walking around in his snow suit, but as soon as I thought about getting the camera, he did his first face plant on the driveway. Yesterday he was much more steady and enjoyed climbing up and down the three stairs that we have on the back deck. These videos are from about two weeks ago. (It takes so long to upload them that I have been procrastinating.) After a couple of days of keeping his balance on uneven terrain outdoors, he can really motor around the house in bare feet.

The weekend before last, we went to the Columbus Home and Garden Show. Kaden enjoyed the window exhibits and the tractors. Burnell was happy to get to compare different windows (for the "someday" new house). I enjoyed the flowers and garden landscapes. The boys received many freebies such as these plastic construction hats. Later that night they had a blast with them. They are a little dangerous because even though the hats slip down over their eyes, the boys don't stop moving. Also, they were wearing their sleep sacks (wearable blankets) and Tovin still is a little unsteady on his feet.

Well, loading these two videos took the whole day. Today the weather was warm and sunny. The best day yet! We went to the park in the morning and both lads enjoyed climbing and sliding. This evening it was nice enough to walk over to the neighbor's house for a short visit. After we adjust to next week's time change, we will be thankful for the later sunset.

Girls' Day and Boys

2010-03-06T16:51:00.003-05:00

Earlier this week we celebrated Hinamatsuri with our friend (and former neighbor) Connie and her three granddaughters. March 3rd is the Japanese celebration of Dolls Day and I really enjoy the festivities. It was a lot of work preparing a special lunch, but it was so worth the effort. I served traditional party foods such as chirashizushi (scattered sushi), osekihan (red bean rice) and sakura mochi (salted cherry leaf tea sweet). I was able to use my jubako (tiered bento boxes), but unfortunately I was too busy to remember to take nicely staged photos of the food and decorations. Connie's granddaughters really enjoy Japanese food, so they were excited about everything at the party. It had been exactly one year since we had visited with them. We hope to continue our tradition of celebrating Hinamatsuri together, but I hope that we visit again before a whole year passes. Kaden and Tovin were the honorary boys at the Girl Party (as Kaden called it), they did not want to sample any of the food, but were more than happy to spend the time chasing Connie's cat and dog.

For the past six weeks or so Kaden has been waking up fairly early. Burnell's alarm is set for 5:30 am but Kaden's internal clock has him getting up around 5:15 am. He is happy and ready to play. On the few occasions that he has woken before 5 am, I have made him go back to bed. He is getting better about playing quietly in his room for a bit. However, when he hears B getting in the shower, he starts to ask to go downstairs. Burnell has had an early morning breakfast buddy nearly every morning, including weekends. Last week, I heard Kaden being particularly active while downstairs with Papa. I came down to discover that the two of them had been busy lining up all of the vehicles. Amazingly Tovin slept through the racket.

On another morning, Kaden got a hold of the clementines that B was about to pack for lunch. He told us that he needed to harvest them. He then went and got his tractor and wagon so that he could harvest them from the field.

We are really hoping that he will soon return to his normal routine of waking up at 6 am. It use to be that on a rare Saturday or Sunday, we could all sleep until 7 am. Lately we were happy when we got to sleep until 5:50 am. Moving his bedtime a bit later hasn't seemed to have much effect. We'll just have to be thankful that at least he is spunky and cheerful in the morning.

And He's Off!

2010-02-24T14:24:00.013-05:00

Tovin took his first step on February 6th and today was the first day that walking was his primary mode of transport. I have some video from the past few weeks.

As he started to walk, Tovin began this "spider walk." It's sort of a cross between crawling and walking. Kaden has had fun with it too. Today he told me that he was crawling like a beetle.

Kaden has been trying to be a good big brother by helping Tovin learn how to walk. The problem was that Kaden would pick up speed and Tovin would be dragging along until someone intervened. As cute as it is, I'm glad that they only did this a few times and Tovin didn't get hurt.

This is video from about a week ago when he had started to be able to make it about 10 steps before falling.

This last video is from this morning. Today he was walking from room to room. If he fell, he got right back up and continued walking with hardly any crawling at all. He has started to pick up speed and we don't doubt that soon he will be running.

A few random pics from the last couple of weeks.

We were able to get out with the stroller today to take a walk around town. I bundled the boys well and the fresh air was a blessing. Kaden fell asleep within 10 minutes and I couldn't rouse him (it was only 11:30 am and even a 10 minute nap will throw off his afternoon nap). I shook him and squeezed his cheeks as I called his name... nothing. An ambulance screamed past... nothing. We went into the cake shop to pick up cupcakes (Today is his half-birthday.)... nope, still sleeping. When we were walking toward our house the garbage truck turned onto our street. I parked the stroller in the drive and tried very hard to get him to wake up to see the garbage truck (and eat lunch). Even with the garbage truck just a few feet from him, it took quite the effort to get him to open his groggy eyes. After the garbage truck passed, I allowed him to play outside for quite awhile so that he would be ready for an afternoon nap. Fortunately, all three of us were able to nap well and we had a fun after-dinner cupcake party.

A Very Snowy Day

2010-02-06T10:39:00.006-05:00

The first blizzard of 2010 has arrived! Yesterday it began snowing at 10:30 in the morning and it continued snowing until this morning. Burnell is outside shoveling 16 inches (40.6 cm) of snow from our drive. Some of the drifts seem to be 2 or 3 feet high. Other parts of the Midwest and the East Coast have more. Washington D.C. is predicted to receive 30 inches (76.2 cm) by tonight.

Yesterday evening, when B came home from work, Kaden was waiting to go outside to walk in the snow. I bundled him to the max and sent him out to play with Papa. I stayed in with Tovin and took photos through the windows. Tovin really wanted to be part of the action. I told him that walking is a prerequisite and that he would have to wait for next year.

He are photos of B and Kaden building their first snow man.

When I realized that they were making a snow man, I tried to scrounge up some supplies for his face. We seem to be in short supply of coal, large buttons and corncob pipes. Our snowman has mandarin oranges for eyes, the requisite carrot nose and a stalk of celery for a mouth. Kaden quickly named him Bob (based on a book that we have titled A Snowman Named Just Bob).

It continued to snow throughout the night and this morning Bob was wearing a cloak of white.

I am about to make hot cocoa for a cold and tired Papa who has just spent two hours digging through the snow. More snow is predicted to arrive on Tuesday. The irony is that we are finally feeling well and healthy enough to leave the house, but now we are snowed in for the next few days.