Fresh Toth

Fun times at the "Jump-Jump"

Yesterday Kevin's battalion had a family event at an indoor play-place with inflatables. I took the boys up and down several of the inflatables before Kevin got there, which was pretty comical. Holding Joshua while spotting Caleb up the steep slippery stairs and then precariously holding one on each leg on the way down, making sure they don't slam into each other. Some of those slides are pretty fast. Caleb didn't want any more slides after just three times down. Although Kevin was only able to make it for the last hour, at least he came. He quickly helped Caleb get over his fear of the big inflatables, and freed me up to take some pics for the battalion. I was sad to see him leave again this morning. He'll be back Friday. It was a fun time and I'm glad that the battalion is doing some events. We actually haven't been to any unit functions because the only one they've had since we've been here (a year) was cancelled. I finally feel like part of the unit and I've been going to the steering committee meetings, even though I have nothing to add except the date and location of the upcoming playgroup. It's good to be involved. I'm particularly impressed with the battalion commander's wife. She's got to be the most approachable person I've ever met. So nice to have someone like that in leadership. Now if she can convince her husband to help the unit make good on the SF rumor/lie that although the guys deploy a lot, "When they're home, they're home."

Maybe it feels secure?

More than once I've walked in to find Joshua sleeping blissfully in this legs-locked position.

Summer fun

Caleb finally got over his fear of water spraying in his face, which means watering the garden just got a lot wetter for me. Despite my pleas to not spray mama, I still got it a few times. But how can I be mad when the boy is laughing so heartily? Notice the band-aid. It was a week long phase that he went through, insisting he needed the bandage for his ouchie, despite said ouchie having long since scabbed over.

Our friends Ellie and baby Saedi came by last week for a visit. I wish their mama, Michelle, would believe me when I tell her how much fun it is to have the kids play together. Caleb and Ellie tucked themselves into his tiny bed and took turns reading to each other.

Mayhem ensued (below) when Joshua discovered them and tried to joined the fracas.

Fruitful Garden

I don't know why arugula has gotten such a bad rap as being stuck-up. It really is one of the easiest plants to grow. Below are some shots of my growing garden. I've gotten two big red bell peppers, countless tomatoes, many salads' worth of arugula, multiple armloads of basil, and snippings of both mint and oregano. Caleb's watermelon plants are growing and there is one large fruit growing. It's just too hot here, though. The new flowers on all of my tomato, pepper, and melon plants keep falling off and from what I can tell, it's just from the extreme heat. I suppose I could erect some structure to give them some shade, but seeing as the tomato plants are now about 9 feet tall, that seems a little out of my league. And anyways, if I build anything, it's going to be a compost box so I can stop filling my trashcan with organic matter that could be feeding my garden. I need a good weekend to work on that project. Or I need Kevin to have a good weekend, but he's been working every Saturday and even some Sundays. Stink. Anyone have a saw they want to lend me?

I know this looks upside down, but it's not. I'm just hovering directly over the potted arugula plants.

CrossFit

I've been doing CrossFit for about a month now. Kevin is a little (or a lot) OCD about it, and that helps me to stay motivated. It also gives us something else in common. I like to ask him his time or weight from the WOD (workout of the day), as if I'm anywhere near his ability (not even close). But it's fun to know just how fast and strong my husband is, especially compared to the people that post on the comments on the CrossFit blog. (He's pretty studly, just in case you didn't know.)
I've started actually doing the workouts as they are prescribed. I used to just do them to get them done, now I'm actually hurrying through them for time, or adding weight to get a new PR. I've discovered that I'm faster than I am strong, but that's okay. Anyways, now CrossFit is starting to get fun. And although I'm not as hard-core as my friends Natalie or Michelle, I decided to start posting my CrossFit info here. So I'll have a little blurb to the right, below the boys' pics about my WOD, just in case you do CrossFit, too. If you're interested in it at all, give it a try. It's such a rush, a great workout for a lazy person (because you don't have to plan the workouts yourself), and it's fun competition. The only thing I can compare as a before and after is my pull-ups. I couldn't pull myself halfway up before starting and now, just 5 weeks later, I can do 2 in a row. I know, it's not much, but it's a start. And I can do like 118 jumping pull-ups after that, as evidenced by a workout last week.
One more thing. The video of this incredible female athlete totally inspired me. She's had 4 kids and is now sponsored by Nike for running. She beat a really strong guy doing one of the classic CrossFit workouts. I honestly think about how fast she is when I go out for a run. Super-inspiring. If she can pull out 5:30 miles, why can't I try for 7:00 pace? I'm still running and I'm looking for a new race to train for. I ran 9 miles yesterday at 9:00 pace, so I've got a little ways to go... If you know of anyone that likes to watch road races in the Clarksville area, I know of two cute kids in a stroller that need someone to watch races with them while their mama runs.

Overheard

Okay Joshua, I'm going to work. Bye Bye, babies.

Here's your backpack Joshua. (Caleb puts my camera bag around Joshua's neck.)

I'm going to work, baby. (Caleb takes Joshua's face in his hands, gives him a kiss. Does the same with Hannah.)

See you later. After we go to work, we shall go to the playground. I'm going to work. I miss you.

(Work on Saturday you ask? Yes, of course. Dada's at work today, so why shouldn't Caleb go as well?)

Joshua's Birthday Party

And what a party it was! Balloons, cake, hot dogs, a pony, a crazy-looking clown and a huge inflatable! Surely Joshua will remember this extravaganza. What, he's only 1 year old? He won't remember any of it? Oh well. Good thing we didn't spring for those last three things.
We did have family and some good friends there for the fête, though. My mom and sister did most of the legwork for the party- thanks guys. At what age will the boys stop letting me put that funny hat on them?

Caleb and one of his best friends, Ellie, each ate like 2 bites of cake. Who only eats two bites?

Joshua's first taste was all about the frosting.

I don't think we meant to be the family in blue, but there we were.

My mom, sister Katie, the boys and I, right before the boys had to say good-bye to Mom and Katie. Caleb is still talking about things they did that week with Katie and "Meaw."

Joshua's Birthday Shoutout

The folks at Ohdeedoh (my favorite blog for kids' stuff) gave Joshua a shoutout for his birthday. Click here to go directly to it, or here to go to the blog and scroll down until you see it.

Happy Birthday, Baby!

A year ago today, you came into our lives. True to your nature, your entrance was unobtrusive and your sweet, flexible personality increasingly showed itself. I've loved getting to know you, to feel the familiar warmth of your smile when you see me. Praise God for my little joy, my little baby, now a little boy.