Work Update

All my arrangements for going back to work are finally all in place. I actually am feeling way better about it now! Maddy Y. is going to be coming here to watch Eli. She is a close friend that we meet with every Sunday morning and she is awesome with Eli! It is the next best thing to me being here with him. Amy also agreed to do back up, so no matter what, I'll be leaving Eli in capable, loving hands.
I'll be teaching the a morning kindergarten class at my old school. The district just cut the extra half-hour they used to add to each kindergarten day because of budgeting. That means I'll be away lessI also found out that I'll get to share a room with a teacher named Paige. She and I get along famously and are hoping to get to do some collaborative planning.
As far as completing my Professional Certification goes, I'm all set to start a cohort program through Western this fall. I'm taking as many professional development classes as I can this summer to help me with the "Core" component of the program. The good thing about taking classes this summer means I only have to be gone one or two days at a time, rather than every day or in the evenings for college classes. So, over all, I'm feeling pretty good about how this is all working out. Next year will be busy and I know there will be lots of moments that I feel terrible for being away from Eli, but I finally feel like it's all going to work out!

Tales of the Rooster

Yes, that is our rooster in the cage. This little bugger proved hard to get rid off, but we've finally arrived at the last chapter in the Rooster Chronicles! After I put him up for grabs on our blog, we Shane's mom and dad (who have a farm) offered to take him off our hands. We gladly accepted and Laura Lynne made a special trip the second week in June to pick up the rooster (and visit her grandkids, too). However, she went home empty handed because we couldn't catch the little stinker. After an hour of coercing, all we had was one full rooster. Though his brain is the size of a pea, he knew enough to eat the bread crumbs but not get in the cage. Shane returned home from work disappointed to see that we still had a rooster, but quickly concocted a backup plan. Ryan and Mandy would be going over the next weekend to visit Mom and Dad, and gladly agreed to Rooster Transport Duty. Shane also informed me that we'd gone about the rooster wrangling all wrong and he'd take care of it next time.

We made plans to meet Ryan and Mandy for breakfast Saturday morning so we could hand off the rooster. Friday night rolls around and I mention to Shane that I think we should try to catch the rooster...no problem he says, he'll take care of it in the morning. Saturday morning rolls around, and I wake up to see Shane trying to herd the rooster into the open garage door. I quickly head out to help, reverting to my "if you feed it, it will come" strategy. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking...we're supposed to meet Ryan and Mandy in 15 minutes. Time isn't the only thing running out-Shane is pretty much on his last straw at this point. Pretty soon, we're both chasing the rooster around the yard. Any damage the chicken had done to the flower beds was beginning to seem nominal given what my husband was doing as he tore through them in hot pursuit. Next thing I know, I'm standing back laughing (all of you wives out there now that it is not a good idea to laugh at a husband who's already mad) as Shane tears after the chicken with a broom. The intent is no longer to catch the chicken, rather kill it as dead as you can kill a chicken with a broom.

The rooster decides he's had enough and barrels across the road into the brush. Now let me tell you a little bit about this brush. This is not a few grass clumps under some trees-it's the kind of brush that is so thick you can't see daylight through it. Combine that with the fact that the county had just mowed the easement and what you get is literally a green wall. That did little to phase Shane-he ran straight into it. You know the Wily E. Coyote cartoons, where he runs through a brick wall and leaves a perfect outline in the wall? I kid you not, that's exactly what it looked like! Every once in a while I would see a broom poke out of the brush and hear a gorilla-like growl. After Shane re-emerged from the hole he'd created in the brush, he stormed in the house muttering something about getting a gun. (There's me on the grass-trying to catch my breath I'm now laughing so hard...) For the next two hours he brainstormed ways to catch and kill the rooster. All the while, the rooster was safely nestled in the brush cock-a-doodle-doing away. Luckily Shane's Mom called at just the right time and pleaded for the rooster's life. Shane agreed to let him live.

The following week, Laura Lynne came over again. This time we had the sense to leave the garage open, so the rooster did what roosters do best-he crawled up in the rafters and roosted. The next morning, Laura Lynne pushed a step ladder right underneath him, grabbed him by the leg, shoved him in the crate, and took him home to a happy harem of hens. And that's the end of our rooster story!

Father's Day

Shane enjoyed his first Father's Day! (At least I think he did...) We woke up to beautiful blue skies. He got to sleep in with Eli while I made breakfast. Then it was off to meeting and lunch at Olive Garden. After that we headed to Randy and Amy's to help Trevon celebrate his birthday. To top off the day, we went boating on Lake Martha. Here's a few pic's to recap...

My two sleepy heads...

We bought a scanoe about a month ago. (Yeah-I asked the same thing...it's basically a canoe with a place to attach a small motor). We took it out for the first time on Father's Day. This is Lake Martha-about a ten minute drive from our house. You know how these things go...you picture yourself peacefully paddling around, soaking up the sunshine, watching your adorable baby gleefully peering at the water....not so much! Eli hated the life jacket! He screamed the entire time we were out on the lake. Hopefully he'll outgrow his dislike of the life jacket so we can go again.

World's Greatest Dad :-)

After I unsnapped the lifejacket Eli settled down long enough for us to take this picture....

Been Too Long!

Ok, this has to be a quick post since I just got Eli down for a nap and my paintbrushes are outside drying out! Life is a little crazy with the remodel right now. Here's what's going on with all of our projects.... the house is painted (minus the doors),, the garage is 1/2 painted (with any luck I'll finish that today), the basement is framed in, the rough-in electrical is done in the bathroom, garage, and basement, and the rough-in plumbing is almost done in the bathroom. I've got most of the fixtures ordered/purchased and the drywall starts going in the first week of July! We'll have to move out for the last week in June while we get the rest of the plaster removed upstairs. Luckily, Dan and Jeanne are great sports and always have a free bedroom during these remodel projects. (We lived with them for 3 months two summers ago.)

Eli is as cute as ever! He is really working hard at learning to crawl. He's been so easy and content, our only hang-up lately has been nap time. Between shopping trips to Home Depot, hammering contractors, and practicing getting on his hands and knees in his sleep, the poor guy hasn't had much of a shot at a decent nap. Which is why I should really wrap this up and take advantage of him napping right now! Ok, I'll try to get some updated photos on here soon!

Eli's Eye Exam

I totally forgot to update everyone as to the results of Eli's eye exam. We went down to Children's at Bellevue last Tuesday to see a pediatric optomitrist. (His pediatrician had some concerns about one of his eyes not tracking quickly enough). The Dr. was awesome and assured me Eli's vision is developing normally. In fact, she said he had very well developed vision for his age. Looks like he's going to take after his Daddy!

Side note....Eli's eyes aren't blue anymore! They've changed to a blue/brown color. (I guess it's what you'd call hazel?) I was totally surprised because everyone says they won't change after 6 months...who knew!?

A Day with Kaylee

Yesterday, Eli had a chance to spend the whole day with Kaylee (and Amy too!). (I had to get the bathroom floor sanded and didn't want him around the dust.) As you can see, the two of them have a jolly good time together. You're never too young to play meeting!

Eli's 8 Month Portraits

A picture says a thousand words, so I'm done talking. (Except to say, "Isn't he the cutest?!")


Doesn't this look like it should be his first school picture? I guess it's a combination of the hair, the pose, and the shirt!

If you want to download these pictures, go to https://www.smilesbywire.com/home.asp?AC=LTPP0177109757JCP. Type in my name where it asks for customer name. Then you'lll find a download option along the left side of the screen. (Unfortunately, you can't print them, but you can add them to your screen saver....) Enjoy!