Bumper Bike Anya

Talmage and Anya enjoyed riding bikes today. The weather turned warm again. It was nice to be outside in T-shirts again. Anya hasn't figured out stopping so well and will frequently bump your back tire if you let her get too close.

Here's my "new" bike that we bought during the summer. I'm so happy to be able to ride again. The past couple of weeks I've been feel lots better and have been able to exercise again. I never thought I'd be so happy to exercise. I enjoy walking and bike riding. I've even been able to ride to the park pulling Anya in the bike trailor. I haven't worked up to running yet but if all goes well I should be able to run again. I have had a set back with an infection that prevents me from taking my arthritis medicine until it is all cleared up. I've had a return of the swelling, pain, and stiffness. So now I know the medicine was really helping and I'm excited to be able to give myself the shots again when the sinus infection is gone.

Gone Texan

I bought this hat today at Kohls for $1.60. I thought the kids would love it for dress up. Well it fit Aaron and is perfect for keeping the sun off his sensitive skin. He wore it playing soccor with Talmage and then I caught him watering our dead looking trees. Perhaps it brings out his agricultural side. Maybe if I buy him some Wranglers he'll plant a garden for me-- or maybe not. Sorry to put that mental picture in your head. Some people just shouldn't wear Wranglers.

Anya's Lotion Face

We had a little over a week of cold weather. (well cold to us) Anya thought it was so funny to wear two shirts. Usually she just wears a t-shirt around the house. But to have a long sleeved shirt under a t-shirt was just so funny to her. Also having to put on lotion was fun. Having the heater running can be very drying on the skin-- I'm sure many of you in the frigid north more than understand. So this in Anya putting lotion on while wearing her two shirts. You'd never know she was born in Idaho-- she can't even remember snow, she has no concept of it. When it dipped just below 40 degrees last week she wanted a blanket in the car. . . Our car is in the garage. They obviously don't remember scraping snow and ice off the windows of the car or having to start it ten minutes before leaving so that it would be warmed up. Today it is 68 degrees out and Anya an I went shopping. When we got in the car it was hot so we had the AC on. To the kids the reason you start the car early is to get the AC going.

"That really cool"

One of Anya's new, often used phrases is "that really cool". If I tell the kids "Dad will be home in a few minutes." Anya will respond "that really cool". If Talmage builds an airplane out of Legos she'll say "that really cool". In this video she's getting ready to put some butter on the bread and something about that makes her want to say "that really cool". Another of her often used phrases is "that what I talk'n 'bout" (that is what I'm talking about). I think she's trying to keep of with Talmage's ever expanding vocabulary. It's so funny what she comes up with.

Toasted Peanut butter and Jelly

Talmage is growing up! The other day he wanted to a snack but was too tired to do anything more than crackers. He told me he could make his snack all by himself. I thought it was worth letting him attempt. He decided to make a toasted peanut butter and jelly sandwich. So all by himself he got out the bread, jam, and peanut butter. Then he got a paper towel to make it on-- because he's caught onto keeping the crumbs contained even if his dad hasn't. Then he toasted his bread and then slathered it and the paper towel with jam. He then rinsed his knife before getting peanut butter-- who does that? (I usually just wipe it good on the other piece of bread and call it good) Then he did the peanut butter and smushed the two sides together. Then he tried to cut off the crust. He struggled for a while and then I helped a little. In the end he loved his sandwich so much he ate the crusts too. When he was done he put the jam, bread, and peanut butter away and threw the paper towel away. I was impressed and now he gets to make his own sandwich a lot more often. Now if only he was old enough to scrub toilets on his own.