Jason's List

Jason's to-do list for today (as made by his loving wife):

1. Try to get washing machine running
2. Fix plug in bathroom sink
3. Call to cancel washing machine service

Check, check, and check. Whew. I am one happy wife...I even did a few small loads of laundry just to be sure everything was working well. It is!

To-do list

Today was one of those days where I made myself a to-do list. I've made a few of them lately, and I've actually stuck with them and gotten a lot accomplished. I had high hopes for my list today since it didn't have too many lofty goals...and most of the goals could be reasonably accomplished in the morning or in my living room while I watched over kiddos (Mondays I add my nephew, Colin, to the group). Anyway, the list had typical items on it. Colin gets around really well, so I try to be a good aunt and vacuum before he comes. There's also the other household items...here's a glimpse of my list:

1. Vacuum living room
2. Vacuum kitchen
   
3. Sort laundry
4. Wash & dry laundry
5. Fold laundry
6. Wash dishes
   
7. Empty dishwasher
8. Plan supper
   
9. Change sheets
10. Dust living room
    

Like I said, not an unreasonable list. Here's what got added midway through the list when I went downstairs to move laundry from the washer to the dryer:

• Unplug washer because there's a nasty "electric smell" permeating the basement
• Search basement for evidence of smoke (none noted, thankfully)
• Leave message for Jason on cell phone
  
• Wring laundry out by hand
• Put 1/2 load of laundry in dryer (I'm not very good at wringing it out by hand)
• Cart sweaters upstairs with drying rack to drip dry in the bathtub
• Partially bail out washing machine by hand
• Notice that water is pooling around drain rather than going down drain
• Call Jason
• Notice I unplugged the sump pump instead of the washing machine
  
• Plug in sump pump and smile because the water went down the drain
• Unplug washing machine for real
  
• Tell Jason the whole wonderful story
• Mop up water around the drain
  
• Wring out remaining laundry
• More bailing
• Call repair company

I did not finish my to-do list today. I'm not making one tomorrow. Scratch that. I'm making a to-do list for Jason tomorrow. :)

31 years, 31 things

In two weeks it will be Jason's 31st birthday. In preparation for that day, I thought I would blog 31 things that I love about my husband. Just a small glimpse into the many reasons why I love this guy so much.

1. The way he smiles at me when I walk into a room.
2. The silly things he does to make the boys laugh.
3. How he's not afraid to chase dreams.
4. The silly things he does to make me laugh.
5. That he only complains a little when I rearrange things and he can't find anything.
6. I love that he calls me during the day just to say "hi".
7. The cute dimple on his chin.
8. He lets me put my cold feet on him to warm them up. We're talking often here. My feet are cold from about October to March.
9. He is always willing to lend a helping hand.
10. He's willing to listen to God's direction for our life.
11. How he'll get up and bring me a snack when I'm too lazy to get one myself.
12. He give's me an "A-" on the stuff I bake so that I'll make it again to try for an "A" even though we both know it was an "A" the first time. (Well, most of the time it is!)
13. I love that he is totally supportive of my crazy coupon addiction.
14. How he shaves and leaves a goatee just to make me laugh.
15. How he loads the dishwasher totally wrong and then only shakes his head when I rearrange things. Really, in my head there is a wrong way to load a dishwasher.
16. All the crazy facts he knows. I'm talking some really random stuff.
17. That he helps me not stress about the little things.
18. The fact that he is ticklish only a few times a year. Really, he can will himself to not be ticklish the rest of the time. I only wish I had that kind of willpower.
19. That he takes over the housework sometimes when he can tell I need a break.
20. How his sports team loyalties are rubbing off on Ethan.
21. I love that he lets me just talk whenever I can't stop talking.
22. That he knows my weaknesses and loves me anyway.
23. He makes sure I get "me time" when I really need it.
24. He's quite handy...he can fix just about anything.
25. That he hates it when I drive when we go somewhere together.
26. How he regularly irons his clothes without complaining.
27. He still flirts with me...just go back to my post in July where he tossed me into the lake fully clothed. Flirting at its finest!
28. How he can get me to believe almost anything he says. I'll ask him a question about something and he can "sell" me on a totally off-the-wall answer. Either he's good at sales, or I need to think a little more!
29. That he could eat a turkey dinner with all the trimmings every night.
30. That he spends time praying with me and reading the Bible with me.
31. That I know he still means it when he tells me he loves me.

I don't think I tell him enough what an incredible guy he is, so I thought this would be a great way to do it!

To-do

Is is bad when I have to add "post on blog" to my to-do list? The posts are so spontaneous that way. Sigh. I'm working my way down the list, but I have a few things I must do before spending a while with my blog. So, I promise, more than this measly post will follow. Soon...really.

Speech explosion

Micah has reached the 2-year-old stage where his vocabulary increases exponentially each day. There are times in the day where he jabbers nonstop. He did this before, but then we couldn't understand a lot of what he said. Now, we're able to understand more each day as his words become more clear. Jason and I, as well as our family members, find ourselves laughing at the words and expressions come out of his mouth. Enjoy some of the highlights!

• He now says "Micah" instead of his previous version, "me-ah". He also says "E-tan" instead of his earlier version, "E-T".
• My mom was telling me that Micah sat and listened the other day as Ethan described his day at school. Ethan talked about how one of the boys in his class had pushed him and had also pushed some of the other kids. Micah's response..."thas not vry nice E-tan".
• Jason likes to ask Micah if he is his buddy. Micah always tells him "I not your buddy, I mommy's buddy". He'll say he's Jason's friend, though.
• He has taken to telling me that most everything he eats is "de-wish-us". He also described something to my mom the other day and told her it was "dangerous". The big words crack me up!
• Last night Jason was teasing Micah about something. Micah told him "knock it off, daddy". I managed to not laugh out loud.
• Jason was gone for business last week. We watched him leave on the airplane. The whole week, if you asked Micah where Jason was, he would tell you "daddy on airpwane". I tried to tell him that Jason landed, but he just couldn't grasp that!
• This summer, Ethan was being an antagonist (as brothers can be). Micah wasn't going to stand for it, so he looked at Ethan, pointed his little finger at him, and said with a force only a 2-year-old can muster "E-NOUGH". Hmmmm...I wonder where he heard that before?
• One of my favorite things to hear him say lately is "I have no idea". Coming from him, being clueless is absolutely adorable!

My funny boy

Ethan cracks me up this week. Here's why...

On Thursday, the second day of school, I asked him what his favorite part of school is. He told me "gym class". I responded with "You haven't even had gym class yet!". His response... "I know it will be my favorite when I have it".

On Friday I asked him what he played at recess. My five-year-old-going-on-twelve-year-old told me "We played chase the girls." The mother who can't help but act like a mother said "Did the girls want to be chased?" Thankfully, it didn't seem like they minded.

Today I told Jason that while I was at work, I would love it if he and Ethan cleaned his bedroom. It was already picked up, it just needed a little TLC. Jason told Ethan that they should get started cleaning his room. Ethan's response... "Dad, if I pay you, will you clean my room?" Smart kid. I asked Jason to check how much he was willing to pay. It could have been worth doing myself. He was willing to pay $2.00--not enough to get me to do it, but I bet someday Micah will!

First Day of Kindergarten

Ethan had a wonderful first day today. He was so excited when he woke up this morning. We managed to be ready early, so I had plenty of time for pictures!

Getting all decked out in his new backpack and shoes.

Micah had to get a backpack ready, too.

He is very excited about his new school shoes, so he insisted I take a picture of them.

I don't like to think about how old he looks in this picture. This is not a pose...this is simply my boy.

Finally at school (where mom was allowed to accompany him to his door). His teacher showed him where to put his backpack, and he was off to play with his friends. I realized that I may have entered the stage where I have to get hugs and kisses at home. Once he spotted his buddies from preschool, he didn't want to have anything to do with me anymore!

Overall it was a great day!