The Farm

We spent some time at the Orebaugh farm today. I'll post more pictures later, but this is my favorite so far!

Molly's youngest son, Ethan

A Little Dirt

-- never hurt anyone.

Another Reason for Moving

We love living close to old friends. Tonight we had a last-minute dinner with Tim and Mel and their three kids. For the last seven years we've had to plan a huge weekend to get together with friends; now we just hop in the car and go see them for a few hours. How fun!

Guess How Much I Love You

I love that childrens' book. I often tell Jonah before bed that I love him "all the way to the moon," and then he replies, "and back."

He went to bed around 7:45 p.m. last night. At 10:30 p.m. I walked up the stairs to check on the kids. I suddenly heard faint, panicked screams and knew it was Jonah. I ran to his room and discovered him trapped in his closet. Our best estimate is that he'd been stuck for almost two hours.

He was quite disturbed-- he'd been sobbing. He jumped in my arms, crying and squeezing my neck.

I wept. My heart hurt. I held him tightly. I couldn't help wondering what he was thinking about the whole time.

He recovered rather quickly. He made a few comments about being stuck in the closet, but really, he was just tired and wanted to sleep.

We didn't talk about it today. I just gave him a lot of love.

Last night I was reminded just how much I love him...

all the way to the moon and back.

Fun Day

Our friends, Mark and Carrie, moved from Alma about a year before we moved-- now they live an hour away. We spent Saturday enjoying the festivities in their hometown.





Thanks, Mark, Carrie, Lauren, and Holden!

Future Student

Yesterday

The Dying Comma

"A little horse must think it queer/ To stop without a farmhouse near."

It was my favorite test question in college. My professor asked us to diagram this sentence from a Robert Frost poem. I excitedly scribbled on my paper with a smirk on my face. I could diagram sentences all day.

I was one of those English majors that embarrassed myself in Imaginative Writing (just ask Becky Ness) and struggled through Modern Fiction (although, I dare say, I'd do a lot better in this class today). But there was one class where I felt like the star pupil-- one class where I was disappointed if I received anything less than a 98% on a test. It was the reason I wanted to be an English teacher: Linguistics and Grammar.

I read a Newsweek column this morning entitled "The Sad Fate of the Comma." It started me thinking about my writing. The author states, "But the comma's sad fate is, I think, a metaphor for something larger: how we deal with the frantic, can't-wait-a-minute nature of modern life...The comma is a small victim of our hustle-bustle."

I'm guilty of this. I succumb to the pressures of quick emails or quick blogs. I forgive myself for writing in the passive voice, misplacing a comma, or overusing the elipses because I have too many things to do and not enough time to do it all.

The comma is sacrificed. My commas are sacrificed.

What is this world coming to?

Because she's just too cute...

He's Back

I haven't spent much time on the computer recently so let me redirect you to my brother's blog for some light, easy reading.

The Birthday Gang

We celebrated Lydia's first birthay this weekend in Columbus at the annual Smith Family Summer Birthday Bash. My uncle, my mom, my cousin, and Lydia all have birthdays within days of one another. I'm stealing this picture from my cousin's blog since I STILL can't find my camera cord! Thanks, Wendy!

My Sweet Lydia?

Last week Lydia turned one year old. This week she's decided to bite Jonah when he frustrates her.

She bit his hand three times today.

What's happening to my sweet girl?

Thoughts on our New Life

I've been annoyed with the fact that I can't find my camera cord that uploads pictures to my computer. Many of you have asked about the kids' transition, the move, and life in our new town. Let me give you a few random thoughts:

- The Oreo Mint sundae isn't $1.32 anymore. I was a college student a long time ago.
- I love our new house although it's far from being settled. I especially have grown to love our view-- corn, weeds, and the Hess farm. It's so peaceful; of course, that also means lots of grasshoppers and spiders in our house!
-We've had a lot of excitment in our "neighborhood" recently. They've started to build two other houses on our street so once Autumn arrives we won't be the only house. Both families work on campus and have four year old children.
- We've enjoyed some time with my cousins, Eric and Brittany, and their son, Jack. It's nice to have family in town, but it's also weird. While driving home recently, we passed Eric and Jack on their bike. "Wait, that was Eric and Jack...wait....oh, they live here too." My initial split-second reaction was that I needed to go back and talk to them, but no, we'll see them all the time!
- Our house doesn't really feel settled. I think it's because: a) we ordered new couches and they're not here yet and b) we don't have grass/landscaping. Since we're used to spending the majority of our time in the yard or in the family room, it's no wonder that we feel a little out of sync at times. And we need window treatments. What happens if Finfrock returns to campus?!
- Mike is enjoying his new job. It appears this job is a perfect fit for his gifts and talents. I think he's energized by the change.
- Every day it appears that we're getting closer to creating our "new normal." I went to dinner with some girls on Friday night. It was good to make some connections with women I enjoyed. I have plans to see them this week, too, with their kids.
- We're working to discover the most frequently asked question for this town, "So what do you do for fun?" I'm always asking moms I meet. I think we'll head to the library and petting zoo tomorrow.

My Scream

I had been waiting all day. I anxiously drove the 25 minutes. My palms were sweaty. My heart was racing. I leapt out of the car, purse in hand, dashing toward the door with my list.

Oh no.

Heartbreak.
Sadness.
Disappointment.

I wanted to fall to my knees.

Hobby Lobby was closed.

It's a Different World

While playing with Jonah at the playground yesterday, I couldn't help but notice what the other moms were wearing. One mother was wearing her Harley Davidson shirt-- the other was wearing her Mustang t-shirt. I became self conscious in my pastel blue eyelet shirt. Contemplating the fact that I wasn't quite fitting in with the other "playground moms, " I turned my head to discover a 30-something man parking his 4-wheeler in his front yard across the street. Laughing, I looked to the left (this is no exaggeration) and saw a 50-something man meticulously drying off his red mustang; apparently, he had just been at the car wash. He shined that car for at least the next 20 minutes.

So I learned a few things from my trip to the playground yesterday: cars, motorcycles, and 4-wheelers are a big deal in this town.

Video Mama

I remember a time when my mother continuously played a game of Pac-Man for a couple of hours. I remember it because it was a Friday night, and we sat around the console television in our small family room with our eyes peeled, watching her in awe. Her hands were cramped, no doubt, and Troy and I decided we were having such a good time watching her play that we were willing to forgo our usual Friday night habit of Dukes of Hazzard and Knight Rider.

I was reminded of this night when, after much prodding, I sat down to play a complete game of Wubbzy's Amazing Adventure on www.nickjr.com. Jonah continually squealed in delight, especially when I advanced to another next level. At one point he even said, "You're good at this game, Mom."

My mom played Pac-Man for hours and we were enthralled. I played Wubbzy's Amazing Adventure for 10 minutes and had my son on the edge of his seat. Not bad.

Waterpark

Guys' Weekend

Mike was able to spend time with good friends from college last weekend. I think I can speak for all the wives when I say that we like when our husbands can hang out. We know it's good for them to get away from family/job pressures. Between the five of them, they have thirteen kids with one on the way! He just showed me these pictures tonight. Look at them closely-- I didn't know I was married to such an expressive man!

Handy Manny

Troy and Ashley, my brother and sister-in-law, arrived last Saturday. They're spending time with us before they move to Seattle. I feel we've been a little removed from life for the past 10 days and a big part of that is because we've taken full advantage of Troy's skills. Between our house and my parents' house, he's painted exterior trim, hung laundry room cabinets, installed a garage door opener, taught my mom how to cut crown moulding, finished shelves for the playroom, made toy boxes to match those in the Land of Nod catalogue, added shelves to the pantry, etc., etc., etc.

I think he needs to move to the Midwest when he's done with his counseling degree. Not only has he been a handyman, but he's been a man nanny for Jonah and Lydia, making him our very own Handy Manny.

A New Bargain

I was excited to learn about a new clothing line developed by Sarah Jessica Parker where nothing is over $20.00. I read about it in the Oprah Magazine, and heck, I'm always up for a good bargain.

It's found exclusively in Steve and Barry stores. We visited one today. I spent $40 and walked away with a shirt, a pair of shoes, a purse, and a pair of sunglasses. Not bad. Check it out.

Good News

We have a purchase agreement on our house. We're not breathing a huge sigh of relief until after the closing (it's supposed to be in two weeks), but we're certainly feeling a little better. Is it typical to be totally annoyed with the person buying your house? After dealing with this man-- and taking offense to his initial low offer, I don't want him living in MY house.

Assuming that our house could sit empty all summer, I left curtains, a shelf, a few bath cabinets, flowers, etc. because I thought it would "show" better. Now this man is going to get everything. He asked about the things we left and Mike said he could have it all so that it wouldn't hurt the sale.

I did make one thing clear: he's not keeping my hanging baskets. This man will not enjoy my flowers!

The important thing, though, is that WE'RE HERE!

I'll post pictures later.

Recent Events

Uncle Mike

We're enjoying a visit with Tricia and Davy.

My Life for the Next Week

Pictures of the Day

Experimenting

I've been working a little more on my photography. Here's the results of today's photoshoot with Jonah. The aerobic intensity of a photoshoot with Jonah is the equivalent of a 5 mile run. I'm pooped.

Family Fun

In the midst of our long "to-do" list, we decided to take a break and go to the children's zoo. Here are some fun pictures from our fun day.

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

There once was a boy who sat in his room, trying to go to sleep at night. To get his parents' attention, he shouted, "I gotta pee! I gotta pee!"

His parents came running up the steps to let the boy out of his room. But when they arrived in the bathroom, he could not pee. The boy talked about the clock on the toilet, fidgeted with the magazines nearby, asked for some coins to put in his piggy bank.

They returned to his room. "Don't cry 'wolf', my son," said the mother, "when you don't really have to pee." She went grumbling back down the stairs.

A little later, the boy shouted again, "Pee! Pee! I go pee!" To his delight, he heard footsteps approaching his room, giving him permission to use the restroom.

When his father saw that he was not going to pee, he said, "Don't cry 'wolf' when there is NO wolf!"

The boy protested and insisted he stay in the bathroom. His father did not oblige, and the boy was sent back to his room once again.

Later, the boy really did need to pee. Alarmed, he leaped to his feet and shouted, "I need to go pee!"

His parents thought he was trying to fool them again, and so they didn't come.

So what's the moral of this story?

Rock 'n Roll

I was enjoying a "mommy moment" while talking to Jonah on the way home from school today. I was driving Mike's car and nonchalantly turned on the music. "Number one...that's Back in Black, Mom.....Put it on #2. That's Pearl Jam."

"Who's on #1?" I ask.

"The rock 'n roll man."

I chuckled. I chuckled for a few reasons. First, I was APPALLED that my innocent boy knew "Back in Black" and Pearl Jam. But I was certainly thankful that he referred to AC/DC as the "rock 'n roll man."

So yes, I learned a little something about Mike's trips to school every morning with Jonah. They obviously listen to Daddy's music.

Here I am, trying to teach Jonah songs like Deep and Wide, Jesus Loves Me, and Baa Baa Black Sheep...

Gee whiz.

My Husband the Hoosier

A conversation this morning:

Mike: That's a picture of a wheelbarrel, Jonah.

Traci: Did you just say wheelbarrel?

Mike: What?

Traci: Wheelbarrel. Did you just say wheelbarrel?

(With a look of confusion, Mike says nothing)

Traci: It's wheelbarrow...w-h-e-e-l-b-a-r-r-o-w.

Mike smirks. He pauses.

He clearly never knew that before.