Daddy's Movie

This may sound very pathetic to some of you, but yesterday afternoon, Drue wanted to watch a movie...no big deal. I told her to pick it out and I'd start it for her. She said, "watch Daddy's movie." I was puzzled at first, then realized she meant Ryan's senior football highlight tape. Yeah....This isn't the first time she's requested to watch it. She loves it! She likes seeing Daddy, Campbell's Daddy, Todd and Trevor's Daddy, Clint and of course the occasional shot of "T"...aka Travis Hollander, Daddy's best friend. She always wants us to point to the people we know. Ry was so proud to hear that DD watched the tape. Get this...it was the first thing she said this morning, too! I was watching the today show, catching up on the potential terror threat in London, and she said, "DD watch somping else." She pulled out "THE" tape. She watched it THREE times today! She watches it too, not just for a second then goes and plays...she really watches. Weird. She's Daddy's cheerleader! Ryan would let her watch it over and over, except for the fact that he's afraid the tape will be ruined. Luckily, a friend copied it to a DVD for him. God forbid we don't have the tape. You know, I had to watch that before we were married and act all excited. Truth is, I think it would have been fun dating the star football player. He really was the stud he claims to be, all state (or something like that, he'd correct me, but he's asleep) school records, etc...He would have never dated a band/choir/cheerleader/speech/drama geek like me, good thing I didn't meet him until we were both out of school. But come on already...get over your self! That was 14 years ago!!!! He says watching that tape, seeing those plays, hearing the music, still gives him goose bumps! Boys will be boys! Can't wait to see how he'll act when our kids are in sports!

Last night Lane was up several times with a cough. Around midnight, I had Ryan take D in to her bed. The thunder woke her up, I don't know when. I heard her talking to me and she went in the computer room and said, "mommy?" but I wasn't in there, she came a running in to our room and then I told Ry that if he wanted any sleep, he might want to go in D's room. She has a full size bed and he said it was very comfortable. He was just nervous about waking up because she doesn't have a clock...not that he needs one anyway. He never sets the alarm and always wakes up at 5 am.

Today we went to Ry's Grandma Margaret's house. I had called Ryan's cousin Mindy and asked if she wanted to meet us there so the girls could play. She has a daughter, Delia who is 6 mos. older than Drue and a son, Elliot who is 4 mos. old. The girls had a great time. The boys slept most of the time. Just wait a few months, it will be crazy there! =) DD and Delia call Grandma Margaret..."Grandma Great" She is there great grandma, but maybe they are saying Margaret? I don't know, but it's cute. Anyway, she had made cookies for them, as always and they both used fancy little glass coffe/tea cups for their milk. They thought it was so grown up and cool! They did the usual, played with the babies, ran back and forth to grandma's bedroom, sat down quick in front of a big mirror, then run some more and hid under the dining room table, somersaults...It's so fun to see them play together...usually someone gets hurt. I think we made it without today. Mindy said when she told Delia they were going to go play with Drue she said, "Drue pinches me sometimes." Sadly, I admit this is true. But Delia chokes! =) They like to wrestle, but are getting to good at it so one of us mom's usually has to step in.

I accomplished the "pie- baking" episode. Not without some trouble though. I couldn't get the crust to roll out, I called my Mom all 'huffy-puffy' and had her tell me "add a little more water," I knew that but needed to hear Mom tell me. I got frustrated so I didn't put the top crust on. Instead, I made a crumble topping. I started all this at 7:30 pm. What was I thinking? That way, though, Ryan could watch the kids...yeah, right. Once he yelled, 'hey, Kris, can you come help me change a diaper?" Help him? Ok?Who helps me every day, 8 or 10 times a day? Somehow, I manage to do it alone. Ok, sometimes I have to enlist the help of big sister Drue to distract Lane or make funny faces. Well anyway, the pie was done at 9:30 and was a warm, yummy bedtime snack. Ryan was satisfied. He said it was very good but kept talking about "how to grandmas know how to make them so well?" etc... Must mean it wasn't the best he's ever had, but I'll keep practicing...I have to!

Lane's crying...gotta go!

Summer colds! Ick!

So...isn't it August? Well, Drue woke up this morning with a cough and eventually added a runny nose and glassy eyes. By the end of the day Lane was coughing some, too. Ughgh. I hate it when the kids are sick, but am thankful it is something medicine can resolve. I can't imagine living in "Laura Ingalls' days" and not having medicine for colds/fevers. I would have been a nervous wreck. (I am anyway)

Drue had her hair cut this morning in Wellsburg. It is now really short in back, kind of stacked and then gradually longer in front, angled toward her face. It looks kind of like mine did when Lane was born. She looks really cute with it tucked behind her ears. She's cute ANY way! :) After the haircut we picked up her friend Campbell and brought her to our house to play for the day. She was tired and Drue wasn't feeling that hot, so it really wasn't that fun of a day, I suppose. Campbell was thinking, "the last time I came here, I went home and there was a new baby! and why is Mommy at home with Aubrey and Madi, and I'm here!?!" I ran my fingers through her hair and got caught on a curl,(those of you who know her know how CURLY she is!!) I'll have to post a picture! Anyway, she looked at me like I had just ripped her hair out and RAN for the door and tried to leave, all the time crying, "Go Mommy's house!" She must have thought I did it on purpose and that I was going to abuse her all day. Poor girl. I felt terrible. After lunch we played outside for over an hour, everyone was in a much better mood and my Dad (Pa) and Uncle Shawn stopped over to drop off an iron plant stand I had Dad make for me. It's like a tri-pod with 3 terracotta pots, biggest on the bottom, smallest on top...I love it! Can't wait to show it off, Dad should sell them! :) It's awesome having such a crafty Dad and brother. They can literally make me anything I want if I can show them a picture! Wood, metal...welding, a deck, a play yard fence...can't think of anything my Dad (or Mom and the boys) wouldn't do for me...or at least try really hard to! :) They're all so 'crafty!'

Campbell was glad to be home, Drue was thinking it would be fun to stay at the James' and play though. She fussed, "DD like that house better, stay at Campa's." We met Mom at the same hairdresser that Drue was at earlier in the day. Then since Ryan was going to be late we went and ate supper with my folks. My Grandma Mary stopped in around 8 and brought us yummies from her garden.Can't wait to taste them!! Several freshly picked onions, potatoes, tomatoes and apples...I'm going to surprise my hard working husband with something "appley" tomorrow, apple crisp or an apple pie...oh...that reminds me of a story...should I start it now? Nah..ok...yeah!

The Fall right before Ryan and I got married...ok, who am I kidding, Ryan and I only knew eachother 5 wks. before getting engaged and got married 6 mos. later...so there was only ONE Fall before we got married, (IF Drue ever thinks that would fly with HER father...she has another thing comin'!) Anyway...when the apples on the tree at (then it was) Ryan's house were ready, I said, "oh, I should make you an apple pie." He was like, "YOU know how to make apple pie, etc..." I lied, "sure, yeah, who me? Of course! Don't ALL 24 year olds know how to make apple pie?!!" Unfortunately, he got all excited. So, I had to make him an apple pie. No, I had to learn to make an apple pie...quick! I told my Mom my situation and she helped me but when Ryan came over to taste it, would say things like, "isn't that how you always make your crust, Kristy?" etc... I eventually told him the truth, but he married me anyway...must have been a pretty good first try! :) I also have pictures of me making that pie and Ry tasting it. All these pics. to post! :) I don't know if I should try a pie on my own...I have since made a gooseberry pie for my Grandpa Harold's 85th birthday...I couldn't get the crust right and called my Mom crying. She came over and helped me, actually, she just watched me, I just needed someone there for "mental support!" Grandpa said it was the BEST gooseberry pie he has ever had! That was 4 yrs. ago. I think he deserves another one, better do that for him one of these days, huh?!

Well, I tricked DD into taking her cough medicine by putting it in a little shot glass of orange pop. Ok, I didn't trick her...I TRIED to trick her...she figured me out. But I got it down her at least! That won't work tomorrow though! ;) We'll see how often I'm up with coughing kids tonight!

Special Note: Please keep my best friend's family, especially, daughter, Suzy, in your prayers. Thursday at 1:45 she undergoes another surgery to fix the shunt in her head. And praise God that she will be turning 2 on August 17!! =)

Bye-Bye, Digga!

Today started off as one of the "same ol'-same ol'" days...Lane slept in until 8:30, ok...it's not what you think...he still wakes up almost every 2 hours every night! He's never slept through the night...and your asking yourself, "how does Kristy look so good? Act so good etc...getting up that many times!" (HA!! HA!!) Yes, he's ALL about breastfeeding!!! Loves it, and it's going to be hard to break when we decide to. That's all he would eat if I'd let him. He needs a snuggle in the middle of the night, too. Just wants to make sure Mom's still there. He won't eat babyfood...but that's because he's NOT a baby, so he thinks...he'll always be my baby boy, though. He prefers real food. So, for breakfast he had rice cereal with cinnamon and sugar (ok, that's probably considered baby food) and Yogurt Blast Cheerios with a few sips of D milk from a sippy. He's working on using sippys, he doesn't have bottles very often, just a few a month actually, so it's not that he's confused about that, it's just something new. Drue had strawberry oatmeal, milk and mandarin oranges. She didn't wake up until 9. We watched a Barney "Songs in the Park" DVD, vacuumed (my kids both HATE the vacuum!) and while Dig took a short morning nap, Drue and I played in the doll house in her room. The doll house is a replica of one my mom and her parents lived in at one time. My dad made it for them the first Christmas he and Mom were married. Drue loves it...I'll have to post pictures, not tonight though. :( We ate lunch, Drue had mini meatballs and peas. She just re-discovered peas. She liked them as a baby, hated them as a toddler, now has a new love for them, especially the really tiny ones. After lunch we played out in the kids' toy yard and let Cash, (our puppy) run around. We came in, had a snack of pretzels and juice and watched Pinocchio. Did you remember he smoked and drank??? Not me! It was when he skipped school and went with the naughty boy, they even say 'jackass!' Drue has watched it a few times now...that will probably be the one word from the entire movie she catches on to! Drue took a nap and when she woke, my mom was there to take her and Lane to her house while I did something I have never done at our farm before...I MOWED!

So, it started this way...Last night Ryan came home at a decent time and I thought it would be nice if he spent some time with the kids, so I "highly discouraged" him from going out and spending a couple hours mowing. He might tell you I got grumpy?? Anyway, this afternoon I felt kind of bad about that so I called to see if Mom could get the kids while I tried to mow. I have never done it here before and to tell you the truth, I don't want to get started doing it, either. But, I didn't want Ryan to have to spend time doing it, knowing the next few nights could be late for him at work. And I thought, I'd rather try it for the first time when no one was here to critique me! Those of you who have seen our yard, know that this is no small favor! I was all excited to surprise him, when I walked to the shed and found the mower had a really flat tire. So I had to call him to see if or how I could fix it. I also had to have him run through the instructions on how to start it...I accomplished both! I drove it to the machine shed, found the air compressor and put air in the tire...My father-in-law is smiling now :) Then I drove to the part of the yard where I thought I'd start... and realized, I didn't know how to make it mow! So, I had to call Ryan again! So, why did they make the "mow" lever look like a picture of a light? A woman would have put the word "MOW" on it! :) I had my walkman on...yeah, I know...If I'm going to do to this again, I need an IPod...I'm so out of it! :) It was actually good 'thinking' time, kind of relaxing, I guess. You know... mowing is alot like vacuuming, except you're riding. And if anyone ever makes a riding vacuum...sign me up! I also hate that shaky, itchy, vibrating feeling. Mowing wasn't hard but I did leave the toy yard and the little patch right in front of our Luiken log and flower area because I was afraid I'd tip over. Ryan finished it when he got home. Ohhhh....there were TWO more spots I couldn't mow...under a big AC tractor and a Honey Wagon!...mmmmm.....think my father-in-law had something to do with that, too! :) For you non-farm people...a Honey Wagon, is anything BUT a wagon for hauling honey...yup, they should really call it a "pig poop wagon..." (a girl would have!) :) I was complimented on my mowing job...which maybe isn't a good thing, hope he doesn't think it is now my job, (kind of like how I somehow became the garbage 'taker-outer' too!) It was fun though, good thinking time, no tan though, it was overcast and breezy today...perfect for mowing.

When I went to pick the kids up after mowing, (it took me 2 1/2 hours) the kids were both sitting on Little Tyke horses. DD on the one named "Pepper." He belonged to my brothers when they were little. Dig was on a blue one that Mom found last summer. When I walked in, Mom and DD said, "Hi Dig!" and were feverishly waving their hands 'hi,' and to my astonishment...SO DID LANE!!! He can wave "bye-bye!" He's been so busy learning this week! He's learned to sign 'more,' play pattycake/ clap and wave bye! I love my little man!

Drue is asleep on the loveseat behind me in the computer room. She's excited to get her hair trimmed tomorrow morning, then pick up her friend, Campbell, all in Wellsburg. We're going to play at our house and give Campbell's mommy some one -on- one time with the middle daughter, Aubrey. Baby Madi is just over a week old! We're having a little get together with our coffee/play group for her on Friday...should be fun!

I'm starting to get drowsy, I had to take Benedryl because of the grass and weeds...ah-ha! A reason for me not to mow every week! It makes me sick! :)

Have a wonderful Wednesday! ~Blessings to you! kabl

Mom? How Could You!?!!

Last night, as I was rocking Drue to sleep, (I usually rock both of our babies to sleep everynight, occasionally, DD will fall asleep on the couch or with her Daddy, or wait to fall asleep in bed with us,) anyway...when she was younger, I would say, "let's talk." We'd talk about what we were going to do the next day, kind of a run down of tomorrow. I was a way to rock, talk quietly and look in eachother's eyes. Then there were nights when DD would climb on my lap and say, "Talk Mommy." We still do that... So. Last night I asked her, "what should we do tomorrow?" Her reply..."pick-up." She said this not because the house was a pit. Actually, it was picked up, not cleaned, but picked up. She said it because I say it every night! That's always on my 'list to do' no matter the condition of our house. My heart broke. I looked at her and asked, "is that what Mommy always says?" Yup. So, I decided then and there that I was not going to say that again and I was making sure that today we did NO picking up! This is a saying my Mom cross-stitched and gave to me for my first Mother's Day...

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait for tomorrow
For babies grow up, we learn to our sorrow.
So, quiet down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

I try to live up to this everyday...I know my babies are growing so quickly...I don't want to miss anything because I'm cleaning my house, there will always be something to clean, yes, even years from now when my kids are away from home, I will have things to dust, floors to sweep, laundry to fold...so...I want my kids to remember me taking them to the pool, the park, reading books, going on walks, singing songs,picking flowers, coloring, doing DD's hair, playing ball with Dig, catching lightning bugs.....all the good "MOM" stuff...not putting ANYTHING before my kids, not saying, " I need to clean this or vacuum this before we can go or before I can play with you..." Nope! Not gonna be that kind of Mom! My Mom always did that for us, we knew...and know, that we come first. She still tells us that! =)

We had a wonderful day! No major meltdowns, a beautiful, breezy morning. We played outdoors before lunch. Drue wanted cottage cheese, and tator-tots for lunch...so that's what she got! No nap either...don't get me wrong, she needed one but wasn't going to give in. We watched a 40 minute Baby Einstein movie three times in a row...still no snoring baby! Then she wanted a snack...She wanted a kiwi...one kiwi is never enough for her...you need at least 2, sometimes 3! So, I went to the silverware drawer and got the knife, turned around, used my big ol' hips to slam the drawer shut and heard it stop like something was stuck in it, I looked down and saw Drue looking up at me with that "Mommy, How could you do this to me?" look and then she started to cry...hard! I felt terrible. My knees get weak thinking about it. I had shut her entire little hand in the drawer! Ick. She's not good about boo-boos anyway. There was no blood or cuts, but she isn't forgetting it. However, she did tell me before bed, "Mommy, owey all better now!" Phew.

After dinner, Ryan was looking through a cookbook I had in the living room. I was working on the month's menu and he started asking me if I had certain ingredients..vanilla? frozen orange juice? That was a no. So then he asked Drue if she wanted to go to Eldora with him and get some. He had found a recipe for Orange Julius and thought it sounded good. So...DD ran to the door, ran back to me and said..."Mom, right back, ok?" They were gone about 8 minutes...I knew something was wrong...Drue came running in to me and just sat on my lap with her brother. Ryan said they got to the highway and he looked back and Drue's eyes were all teared up and when he asked what was wrong, she started to cry and say she wanted to go home. So at the first possible place he turned around...(for those of you who know the area, it was the gravel right before Cory Schurman's!) They didn't get very far and Ryan didn't get his orange julius! He felt bad for her and came home. She was just so tired from not taking a nap and forgot her plug and blanket at home. See...they DO miss me! =)

Blog Time = "Me Time"

First off...As you've noticed, I took the weekend off from blogging, I figured that most of you reading this, do so at work...you dirty rats! You're actually getting paid to read my blog!! Anyway, since you're not at work to read it, might as well wait til' tonight to post anything new...

Secondly, THANKS for letting me know you're reading this! Ok, I'd write even if no one was reading...but thanks for the feedback! Makes it even more fun knowing people are enjoying hearing about our kids! Blogging is honestly my only alone time, I should probably be doing something better with my time, like cleaning, catching up on babybooks etc...but...as all of you Moms know...I don't even pee by myself! :) I usually post after the kids and Ryan are snug in bed and the house is quiet, except for tonight....DD is on my lap as I type! Not gonna miss a thing, this girl! She types too. She points to letters and tells me someone's name that starts with that letter..."C like Cade and Coke, K like KK (Uncle Shawn's girlfriend, Kelly) She's a smarty, I tell ya'!! Back to blogging, it gives me time to unwind and vent...ok, I so I'm restricted in the "venting" area...can't vent about Ryan...most of you are related to him by blood or through our marriage! Not that there's anything to "vent" about, but if I really had to, I probably wouldn't do it here anyway! My friends would be getting a call! =) I suppose the REAL reason I'm blogging is to record our 'everydays.' The not so interesting, kind of boring, but real-life happenings of our lives. In a way, trying to engrave these simple, but wonderful things in my memory, in hopes of never forgetting them. I guess these blogs are kind of like the written scripts to the many video tapes we have of Drue and Lane. ...(I bet my brother, Steve, in Hollywood liked that analogy!) So...now you know why I do this...plus it's fun!

Dig had a fever both Friday and Saturday nights...no other symptoms though, so I think he's working on getting some new teeth.

Drue, (she's asleep now) ran in to the kitchen yesterday morning and was smiling, laughing...had her hands on her hips and said..."Funny thing (about) Coke." Put her hands out like she was going to count her fingers and said..."got 'nother owey on foot!" Poor kid! He's always hurt!

Ryan and Shawn weaned calves this weekend and somewhere during the cattle rustling, Ryan got stung by a wasp. He's obviously allergic to wasps because his hand is so big and puffy and red. It looks like at any moment it could burst and explode... I don't know how many of you have been to Washington D.C. but at Lincoln's museum, there is a casting of his hands after a political assembly where he had shaken hundreds and hundreds of people's hands...after doing so, his right hand had swollen to almost double in size (that's the day they did the casting, too) That's what Ry's reminds me of. I feel bad for him, it's really itchy and he hasn't been in a very good mood since it happened. He gets really droopy from the Benedryl, too. If it's not better by Monday he'll have to go to the dr. for an epi shot or something...

I spent most of Saturday making meals for 2 of my friends who had babies recently. I used the new Glad dishes that are plastic but ok for the oven...I told Pam and Kim to be careful and read the instructions...I worried about it all night! I didn't want to be responsible for burning their houses down! So far, I haven't heard any sirens! =)

Tonight, Ryan's parents came to visit. It is so fun seeing Drue interact with people in her own house. She's so silly. She showed off her Pilates moves, looked at albums, picked on her grandpa Arnie. (Rah-Rah) She calls Grandma Linda, 'MiMi," my folks are "Pa and Nanny" She came up with all of them...That's another blog though...!

I've ranted enough tonight...Just think...I just helped you get through the first 10 minutes of a MONDAY morning!!! :) Have a great day! ~kabl~

Gumdrops for Everyone!!

Last night I enjoyed rocking my babies (both of them) on my lap while we watched the 'Polar Express' for the 2nd time that day, It's Drue's ALL-TIME favorite! They were both being so good and I was just cherishing the moment... I didn't want to put them in their beds andwhen we finally did go upstairs, I layed next to Drue until she fell asleep...ok, I don't know when she fell asleep, I think I beat her. My intention was to post something after she fell asleep but when I woke up it was 1:40 a.m. Didn't feel like it then...SO...I have to catch up on what happened.

Aug. 2nd, 2006! =) We had made a big deal that Tues. Drue would no longer be 2...but 2 and a HALF! She came into the kitchen yesterday morning and said, "Mom! DD 2 half now!" How exciting! She doesn't get it though...kind of a birthday, not really, no presents, not 3...BUT there was going to be CAKE!!! Early Tues. morning, Ryan called and asked if we could take him something...I don't know what it was, it was for work, stored in our machine shed...don't know...don't care, I guess. Anyway...We had to drive way to Clarion/Latimer...ok, I don't even know the town but it took about 45 mins. to get there and it was off I-35 and we met him at a truck stop called Dudley's. I decided to make an outing of it since I wasn't going to get what was on my "to-do" list done anyway. On the way home the kids and I stopped and had lunch at McDonalds. Drue loves the play area and being the organized, think ahead (sometimes!) mother I am...I even remembered to pack a pair of DD's socks so she could climb on the toys. (They're required!) Drue ordered her 4 piece chicken nugget happy meal, no fries, instead, apple dippers and carmel, AND a "cheese-hamburger." The cheese was a surprise, usually it's "DD no like cheese on hamburger!" She took a few bites, ate one nugget, a lot of the apples and wanted "ibiss" (ice-cream) So...I know this is wrong, but I let her play on the stuff while Lane and I went to get the ice-cream. When I returned, the noisy toy area was dead silent. Except....for my daughter screaming, crying, "MOMMY!" She had got to the top of the slide but didn't want to go down the slide and a line of kids had formed behind her and she didn't know how to get down that way, either. I strapped Dig in his stroller, kicked off my sandals and quickly climbed my way to the top...(yeah, that was fun) and then told her we had to go down the slide. Drue proceeded to scream, "ouchy!" until we got to the bottom. We got off the slide and she turned to me and said, "DD go home RIGHT now!" She didn't even touch her ice-cream. She had had enough drama for one day!

Once we got home we made her "half-birthday cupcakes." The day before we had purchased a confetti cake mix and frosting. We added a pack of tropical punch Kool-Aid to the frosting, making it bright red and SOUR! Drue helped stir the cake and clean the whisk,(all-be-it, with her TONGUE!) she frosted a few cupcakes and put gumdrops on them and her cake. Some cupcakes had 1 gumdrop, others had anywhere from 3 to 6! I have pictures I will share here soon! =) We also had to make it very official...I put 2 candles on her cupcake and cut one in 1/2 so she had 2 1/2 candles...she had me light them 5 or 6 times just so she could blow them out again and again! It's pretty hard blowing out candles with your teeth touching your lips...Do this for me say the word "frog," the "f" sound...that's how DD blows out candles, but hey, she got it, eventually. =) All in all, I think Drue had a pretty good half-birthday. Dig even ate an entire cupcake! He's totally excited for his big day in September!

Oh...a funny COKE story...Today, Drue was sitting at the table having breakfast and told me, "Coke owey (sp??) on foot. Coke freaked out! Said 'Where's DD?' DD say, 'Coke want a snacky?' Coke say, 'Oh yah!' She has used the words "freaked out" a lot today??? Didn't know she knew them.

Exciting Lane news, too! As most of you know Drue used American Sign Language before she was able to speak. I had taken a few courses in college and even once since Ryan and I were married. I love it! Drue could sign...more, please, thank-you, milk, cookie, hungry, thirsty, blanky, um what else??? I don't remember off hand, but it's all written in her baby book. BUT... today....DIG signed "more!" He was sitting in his walker and Drue was having a snack (if you call spaghetti at 4:00 a snack?!) and was sharing some sweet potato puffs with him. We've been working on it and actually, I think he was trying to do it last night, but...Drue was signing and saying "more, Dig?" and he started copying his big sister! He did it and just smiled. I honestly about cried. I had the goose-bumps! I am so proud of him! He did it over and over, such smart kids we have! :) Tonight Lane did one more thing for the first time...Dishes! When Drue was just little I'd always stick her in the other side of the sink while I was doing dishes, she'd splash, fill cups, etc... tonight was Dig's turn! He loved it...I have pictures of that as well...Lane is also practicing standing without holding on to anything. He can do it for a few seconds, his balance is pretty good.

Ryan had a call at 9 that another cow was out, 2 nights in a row now. When he came home, both of the kids were asleep on my lap in the recliner. Drue didn't take a nap today and was pretty tired. A man was spraying the bean field next to our house this afternoon, in his airplane. We sat out in our yard and watched for about 15 mins. Drue thought it was pretty cool seeing a bright yellow plane that close to our house!

I had to leave there and nurse Lane...better go get in the tub before he wakes up again and doesn't see me! ~kabl

I'd like you to meet...Coke!

I can tell you about Coke, but you'll never really meet him. He's 2, has 'yellow' hair, a brother and a sister, has an 'ouchy' on his foot, goes to a babysitter, but "not Cade's," (DD & Dig's cousin's) and calls my daughter on the phone at least once a day!

Coke is Drue's imaginary friend. I'm not sure how this relationship started, I never mentioned anything about "hey, maybe you should get your self a pretend friend." I just over-heard the two of them on the phone one day. "oh...uh-huh...yup, yup...ok...bye...ubba (love-you) Coke." So I inquired...and to my surprise, I was given a very indepth description of this little guy. His mommy and daddy both work, he goes to a sitter but Drue is quick to point out he doesn't go to the same babysitter as her cousin Cade does. He has yellow, not blonde hair. He has an ouchy on his right foot, so does his Mommy, but she's getting better now. Drue calls to check on him everyday...and he calls at least once throughout the day, as well. Thank goodness it's a local call! I've never noticed Coke really playing at our house. When DD plays she doesn't really play "with" him. She'll talk about him or make him supper, paint him a picture or type him a letter or something, but when I ask where he is, he is always "at Coke's house or at the babysitters." I don't even know how she knows what a babysitter is? She is so descriptive and creative when it comes to Coke. I guess her Daddy had an imaginary friend named Jason (I think?) Ryan and him would ride horses (Ryan's bike) around their acreage to check on sheep...Ryan's family didn't have sheep, but they had hundreds of pigs...not sure why they didn't just check pigs??? Coke is very much a part of our family, most people have heard about him, maybe even talked to him on the phone...I think he was here helping Drue and Sierra bake cookies, I think I heard Sierra talking to him, too!" I think it is so neat to see her mind work. Drue remembers everything and is so creative, I love eavesdropping on their conversations. I never had an imaginary friend...Guess that's one more thing she does...Just like her Daddy! =)