Swimming Time!

Today Dain and I went swimming. The weather continues to be in the high 80's to low 90's. We don't get to go every day but love it when we can! Dain has gotten more and more comfortable in the water. He loves it now! Here are some pictures from today.

Playing in the kiddie pool.

Taking a break for a snack!

Remembering a friend

Yesterday I went to a memorial service for a friend of mine who passed away earlier this month, Martin Jollie (known as Jollie). He passed away from cancer. I knew Jollie from working with him at Mission Training International . He was an amazing chef and a good friend. He watched out for me like a big brother. He always made sure that whatever lunch was being served, there was an option for my specialized diet needs. He leaves behind his beautiful wife Jennifer and his 4-year old son Derek. It is not known whether he decided to make a decision for Christ in the last days of his life. He was 2 months shy of his 40th birthday when he passed away.

Oh, boy!

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday is that Dain figured out how to open doors. Uh-oh! I think he's actually had it figured out for a while, he just hasn't been able to reach the handle (we have levers instead of doorknobs). Yesterday, he got up on his very tippy-toes and just barely caught the handle... and found out that the door opened when he did that! Oh, man. Now there's going to be no way to contain that kid!
Jeremy and I have been hooked on the Wii - especially Mario Kart. We've been playing it so much that now I dream about it. In fact, at this moment Jeremy's playing while Dain's napping!

Random Updates

Well - here I am. I'm sorry it's been a while. Things are always crazy around here, but at the same time not much actually happens! :) Here are my updates:

Dain (& glasses): Dain saw Dr. P today and although his eyes are more straight than they've been in a while, Dr. P is concerned we will never get them fully corrected with just eye therapy. He pretty much told me today that surgery for Dain is inevitable. :( It kind of makes me feel sick to my stomach to think of Dain in surgery! However, Dr. P is VERY conservative and would not even say this unless he truly knew that was the only way to fix things. Bummer!!!!
Otherwise, Dain is still charming the socks off every lady (and most men) he meets. He loves spending most of his time outdoors, either at the pool or at home in the sandbox. He likes to walk around the neighborhood and meet the neighbors, with Mommy in tow.
He's got most of his molars in now. But he's started drooling alot, and I noticed now he's getting his canine (bi-cuspid?) teeth in.

Jeremy: not a lot to report there. Jeremy is still really enjoying his new job and is excelling at it. He's been playing in a summer competitive baseball league and really enjoying it! He also went fishing a couple weekends ago and brought home some trout. I don't like fish, so we gave them to my parents. :) He longs for the day when Dain is old enough to enjoy camping, hiking and fishing one-on-one with Daddy.

Me: still working 2 small ministries (accounting work) during nap time, which provides a little extra income but not much free time! I've lost 35 lbs now, which means that I have 25 to go. There IS light at the end of the tunnel! I've been enjoying an expanded wardrobe as this week, I went down a size and am now officially in my pre-pregnancy clothes! Took me long enough! :) I've now officially got a tan on my legs after spending time at the pool this week with Dain. It was in the 90's this week. Thankfully things have cooled down a bit with some rain. Can't say I haven't been lusting over my neighbor's new A/C unit though!

Extended family: Remember my nephew that was born at the end of May? Well, here he is with his daddy Josh. Thought this picture was too cute not to post.



Cats: somebody left this on my back porch today. I don't know who it was, Tigger or Butters... but soon after I took this picture the mouse disappeared...

Mommy Diaries Book Review

The Mommy Diaries: Finding Yourself in the Daily Adventure by Tally Flint

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received this book from MOPS in my membership packet for the upcoming fall semester. I really enjoyed the stories from many moms - who go through the same things I go through as the mother of a toddler. There were also moms who go through things much worse than I can imagine... and it made me thankful. I think the best thing I got from this book is that you can learn from every situation and you can control your attitude!


View all my reviews.

Pictures from March

I know these are a bit late... but my aunt just emailed these to me. They're cuter than the ones I took. They are from Dain's 1st birthday in March.

Cake Time!

With Grandma C.

Playing with Cousin Bree.

Chillin' with Mommy.

About the Pets...

We have two cats: 6-yr old Tigger, the female, and almost 2-yr old Butters, the male. They tolerate each other. :)
At our old house, Tigger was an outdoor cat, so she was also a hunter. When we moved into our new house 1 1/2 years ago, we had her declawed and kept her inside because of coyotes around here. We also got Butters right after we moved in and had him declawed as soon as he was old enough - and he's always been an indoor kitty.
Well, this summer, we decided to start letting them outside during the day since the coyotes seem to have mostly disappeared.
Lo and behold, our declawed Butters is a mouser! And, I have actual proof of it right here.

Here he is guarding his mousie already dead).

Tigger had to investigate... I don't think she believed that he actually caught a real mouse...

Here he is wild-eyed and starting to play with the mousie before eating it (pictures I did NOT take.)

He's still playing...

while Tigger looks on in disbelief.

Daddy and Dain just thought it was all a lot of fun!