India

To celebrate Alan's trip to India we tried to cook up some Indian food. We had mulligatawny soup, curried chicken on rice and a flatbread (with cheese and onions in it). Alan has been reading about India and told us a few facts about India and showed Bekah on an internet map just how far away it was. I was amazed at how big Calcutta is, population 13.2 million! He is also going to Nepal. He showed us on the map where Mt Everest is and how close he will be to it. They may be able to take a helicopter ride over some of the mountain there. He is going to see the Taj Mahal, that will be a short visit but well worth the 3 hour bus ride. I am excited for him. Alan started a blog to send updates along the way.

On Being a Mother

A few things I love about being a mother:

• I love the way Sam brings me a book at bedtime and sits on my lap so I can read it to him. Then Jonah comes and wants to sit on my lap too. There is nothing like that cozy feeling of having them both on my lap and reading a book together.
• I love hearing Bekah play the piano and cello. I often hear her playing the piano and then notice she is playing without the music!
• I love how Jonah swings on our swing on his belly and pushes off with his feet. "I look like a bird!" he says.
• I love how Bekah asks me questions that I have no idea what the answer is. It keeps me learning too!
• I love how my kids look when they are sleeping, so peaceful and still.
• I love how Jonah holds onto the stroller when we take a walk. I never told him to do this, he has just always done it.
• I love how Sam always points to balls and puppies. Any dog is a puppy to him and he always says "puppies, ohhh", when he sees one.
• I love how Jonah is always singing or humming.
• I love that Bekah writes stories and then illustrates them. They are so creative and funny.
• I love how my kids teach me something new every day and I couldn't imagine a life without them!

Happy Mother's Day!

Milk Bath

Jonah loves to play in the dirt, both boys do. Digging, finding worms and bugs and now putting it in their hair. I just gave them both a bath after playing outside all afternoon. The bath water was filthy, brown, YUCK! Jonah had just gotten out when he turned and looked at the water. "Is that chocolate milk?" Jonah asked me. I guess he'd never seen the water that dirty either!

5 Things

I saw Audra's and Kori's list and had to do my own.

1. I Love animals. Learning about them and watching them. As a family we watch Nature on PBS every Sunday night. We have a turtle (Speedy) and a dog (But I'm fed up with the dog). We love to go to the zoo and have seen some awesome things there, like the feeding of the crocodiles and a stork that killed a ground squirrel and ate it. Jonah is really into sharks right now.
2. I love garage sales. I get excited when the weekend comes around for all the garage sales I might find. I look for craft supplies, kids clothes, toys (for Christmas), and books. It is the thrill of the hunt for me!
3. I have favorite movies that I watch over and over. My favorites are, Sense and Sensibility, the Count of Monte Christo, The Princess Bride, Star Wars, Titanic, Harry Potter, there are others that I can't recall. Bekah and I love Ella Enchanted and High School Musical, great music in both!
4. My goal this year is to read more books. I usually check them out at the library. I have read 12 books so far this year. I love historical fiction.
5. I'm a wanna be gardner. Someday I want to have a beautiful garden that I can enjoy. I always look at the plants and try to learn the names and where they can grow.

A New Neighbor

In the past few weeks we have noticed that a woodpecker has moved into our backyard. We can hear him pecking a lot, working hard on it's house. It is amazing how perfectly round the hole is! The kids love to see the bird poke it's head out.

Distractions

I walk/run on the treadmill every weekday morning. It is usually difficult to do this without a few interuptions from the boys, breaking up fights and changing Sam's inevitable poopy diaper. This morning, however has been too much! I knew I had a guy coming to check the air conditioner for the season between 8:30 and 10:30 (maybe it will be closer to 10:30, right?) so I thought I'd hop on the treadmill at 8 sharp and go at least a mile. Jonah wanted to watch Cuious George the movie so I put that in and thought I was good to go. I got on the treadmill and started walking. Then the DVD just stopped and wouldn't play. The thing just clicks at me (and it is a brand new player!). I turn on PBS kids. I got on again and smelled the poopy diaper, I decided to just go a mile quick and change him after. Then I ran for a while and Jonah had to go potty. Then I got back on and my book on tape was eaten my the tape player aghhhhh! Then I just decide to run out the mile and the phone rings, the air conditioner man is on his way and Jonah needs me to "WIPE A BOTTOM" (that's him yelling from the bathroom at me). Forget the treadmill. The thing is, I know if I don't do it in the morning it won't get done. Looks like it's not happening today!

Nebraska Boy

Sam had his first corn on the cob, now he is a true Nebraska boy!