Random picture

Good morning everybody!  Just a note to prove I'm still here.  (And I get sick of having the same entry on top every time I go to see who else has updated theirs).  

There's the boys reading, ignoring me.  (They really like background noise.  

Then Tiana's puppy Scout, isn't he darling?  And megan!  We love her too!  

And last but not least, I found this picture of Jacob.  WAY back when he was little.  

Brandon's Birthday!!!

On the left we have Brandon's birthday cake.  He is now Two!! 

On the right, Brandon in his wagon that Ben made 

for him.  He adores this wagon.  (I'll post more pictures of this thing). 

 Its' technically for the library, but in the last few days it's carried megan, Brandon, books, and just about everything else these kids can come up with.

  

Library time!

The boys had a lot of fun at 

The library 

the wagon got to carry books, videos, and basically make them feel "old."  

(Yes, Ben made it), and on the back is a license plate that says "Brandon."  Jacob has one too, but he won't get it until his birthday.  

Now we come to the fun stuff.  

On Sunday night, right after the cake, adrianna decided to "share" her medicine with Brandon.  

here he is, all wired.  It was actually kind of funny, he was so asleep that when we tried to sit him up to get the charcoal down him, his head flopped back like a rag doll.  

But alls well, and he's fine.  Leaving behind some nasty diapers, and some even better stories

That we get to tell his future girlfriends.

 This picture was taken at Shalene's reception, I don't know/remember who took it, but I like it anyway!!  Jacob has a funny look on his face though.

From left to right (back first), for those that need help, 

Ben, Megan, Me (Laura), Brandon, and Jacob is in front.

Love you all!!

Shalene got married, aren't they a cute couple???

The table on the right just made me smile.  I love the way the wood makes the heart.

That's all I wanted to say.  I just wanted to post a wedding picture.

(I have quite a few, I put together a slide show for the reception.)

Out by the skin of my teeth.

I know this isn't really "family" related....

But I talked an old co-worker today.  I worked with her at century 21, up until a month and a half ago.  She was let go today, so was all of customer service, and the receptionist, and the relocation assistant.

What will they do with  no receptionist?  What will they do with no customer service?  What will Melissa do with no job?  

And not just "let go", but the supervisor (not the boss), came in teary eyed to inform them the phone guys would be there in an hour to switch over the phones and they were out of a job.  The supervisor's assistant was her daughter, (also let go.)

So the boss saw one of the other girls come in an hour later, and didn't tell her.  He even said hi.  He waited for the supervisor to come in there and tell her she's out of a job.

Stinks!  

I feel bad for them though.  I'm just grateful I switched jobs before this happened.

Quick update

Well Well well, I"m falling behind here.

So while I'm waiting for a late student... here I go.

Ben: Loves work, very happy with it.  

Laura: LOVES work, and is spending WAY too much of her "spare time" on campus (meaning lunch time) reading really dumb websites like "cakewrecks.blogspot.com" (which is awesome), and an online comic strip that tends to be rather off color on occasion, but is still really funny.

Oh, and the "what not to crochet", that's funny too.

Jacob: Still potty training... still..... still.... 

Brandon: Is learning to say "NO" to Jacob.  "Brandon, come play this."  "No".  "Can I have that?"  No.  etc. It's really funny.

Megan: Is on the verge of crawling!  YAY!!!  Still not rolling over, but she's starting to try to crawl.  I guess she is definetely her own girl.  But honestly, what's the point of rolling over, it's like a dog showing it's stomach to a rabid wolf.  In this case, a brother.  Shes safer on her stomach than on her back.

Love you all!

September

Well, we aren't the best with keeping up here.  :-)

I started a new job with ISU a couple weeks ago, and I love it!  I'm transcribing again, which I have sincerely missed.

Jacob is back in preschool, and loving it.  As he says "have fun at preschool!  Have fun play with toys!  Have fun with friends!"

Well, that's the way he talks, but he had fun!

This picture is Jacob on the first day of preschool this year.  Ben went out and got him a cute little outfit, just because every kid needs a new outfit fo

r the first day.

Brandon, on the other hand, is not so sure about this.  His brother leaves him?  That's not right according to the rules of siblinghood.  His brother should NEVER leave him.

This is brandon bei

ng cool like mommy, and playing with her computer.  He is so proud of himself when he gets to act like the big kids.  

Megan is sitting up, and as long as she can watch her brothers running around, she's perfectly fine with life.  

This is one of the pictures taken a couple weeks ago when we did family pictures.  It'll be a while before we're all together again.  

The kids had a lot of fun, but it was quite the challenge to take a picture.

Emily is down there to catch any kids that scooted too far forward.

Love you all!

Westover Reunion

We just got back from the reunion, and we had SO much fun!!

This is brandon on the swings. He really seemed to enjoy them. When I asked if he was done, he'd say "uh-uh", and hold on really tight so I couldn't take him out. He knows what he wants!!!

Jacob just tired himself out. Ben sat him in the tent, and he crashed!!!

My favorite part of the reunion this year....

Aaron came home!!

He looks SO grown up!!

On the right is Brandon helping us get ready for the homecoming. (Otherwise known as "not a homecoming")

I guess he watched Daddy ironing. (For the record... the iron was turned OFF when he did this.)

Jacob was hiding under the table, and every few minutes he would pop up and steal a few more mandarin oranges. Guess he liked them.

On the right is Jacob and the crew he recruited to help steal food. They make quite a little army.

Cute little Paulsen Monkeys

As I was getting the kids ready to go to the library, I suddenly could not find Jacob's booster seat. So I finished strapping in Brandon and Megan, then asked Jacob where it was.

"I had it".

"Where did you have it?"

"I'm sitting on it mommy!"

So there it was, he'd decided he was driving to the library. Luckily, he didn't complain when I told him that was NOT going to happen.

After the library we were cleaning up. Brandon decided that he wanted to help. This is the only way he's found to reach the top rack of the dishwasher. Not an approved method, but very effective none-the-less.

However, we've discovered that Brandon is MUCH happier if he gets to help mom. We even unload the dishwasher when it's DIRTY dishes!!

Next story (no picture, sorry!)... I had to stop quickly by Albertsons. When I only need one or two things, it's faster because they have cool "car carts." You know, the ones with a little car in the front the kids can "drive"?

Jacob was ecstatic we got to go to the "car store." However, when we got there, he told me he wanted to drive the "pink car." Luckily, it was available, and so he and Brandon drove the pink car, because it's MUCH cooler to drive a PINK car than a blue or purple one.

Here is Megan in a darlin little dress that Ben's mom made. Actually, it's for the other granddaughter that is the same age (Jean). However, since they are the same age, Megan gets to try it on.

When megan gets hers, it will have to be bigger, because she has a big neck, so it can't be done up in the back, but it's still really cute! (I'm sure it'll fit Jean though, because my kids are just larger than average). Plus, I had to take this picture because she was just CUTE in it!!

In other news....

Ben's mom is thrilled she was able to break open a geneology line this weekend. It belongs to my next door neighbor (this sweet little old lady named Aimee.) And she gave Bens mom some information, and suddenly there is tons of information.

Aimee told me the other day how sweet Mom (in law) is for doing this for her. She was very excited about it too!

That's all the news there isn't!

Occupational Therapist

The Occupational Therapist (OT) came out this morning to evaluate Brandon. According to him, Brandon is "within normal limits" according to everything OT related, except for language, of course, and his spinning.

His suggestion.... NOT to spin him. So I didn't, and he screamed for about half an hour, until I finally sat him in the chair. Ten minutes later he stopped screaming and I was able to calm him down enough TO spin him... poor kid.

Talking to mom, I decided that we'll still spin him at naptime and bedtime, but progressively slower. The cold turkey thing causes hysterics I don't have the eardrums for.

Then he went to sleep. As long as we get to spin, we're JUST fine!!

This is an old picture, but I love it anyway. jacob got into the hot chocolate mix a few weeks ago. I was in the living room with Brandon and Megan (the week megan got her first two teeth.)

So I suddenly smelled something... and it smelled yummy, so I checked it out. (As Ben was sleeping, this worried me.)

And he dumped out the WHOLE container, and decided it was fun! So we poured it on our hair, and our clothes, and wrote designs in the floor.

I had to empty the bathwater three times, because it was too chocolate to get him clean anymore!

Sorry about no Megan picture... we'll have some great ones for monday! :-)

July -whatever today is-

We did the "library thing" today. how fun!
My kids have a specific "library pattern." And as long as we stick with it, everybody is happy.
First: Find all library books, movies, etc.
- load up in the car
- drive to library.
Side note: The other day I asked Jacob to direct me to library... so he did! He showed me every turn, and even where I wasn't supposed to turn. He's only three!
- at the library, we first turn in the books.
THEN we go upstairs to the movie section, and both boys each pick out one or two movies.
(And mommy finds something tolerable too.)
We then go to the up-upstairs and get mommy a book.
then downstairs to the kids section for a kids book.
Then we look at the fish for a few minutes,
then we checkout.
Consequence for breaking this pattern....
royal meltdown!
I love my kids!
Oh, Jacobs imagination is getting better. There is now and invisible door between our living room and kitchen, and he has to open it. If I walk through this "door" without opening it, he gets upset.
Brandon said "Wa" (while pointing at water!!)
And megan can sit up now!
(Pictures to come.)
Love you all!