Trunk or Treat

We had a great time at our church's Trunk-or-Treat evening last Sunday. Luke dressed up as a little cowboy and won a prize for cutest costume. We agree! He had a great time, but wasn't quite as happy when getting ready at home:

Amazing how much he perked up and enjoyed the costume when there was an audience:

Going for the good stuff...

And finally, a family photo to freeze the moment in time. We love this kid!

The Joys of Mom-Brain

Let me preface this little story with some background information:

1. We live about 20 minutes out of town.
2. I sometimes do my grocery shopping on my lunch break to avoid an extra trip to town on my day off.
3. If I buy refrigerated items, I stash them in the empty breakroom fridge until the end of the day.
4. I have a history of forgetting to retrieve these groceries, and have developed a most ingenious method of making sure this doesn't happen anymore.

Now, the story. We had a small leak in the fire sprinkler system at work. I called the service company, and a nice young man came out to take a look. He needed to access the fire-riser room, for which I have the key, and came up to my offic to ask me to let him in. I trotted off, with the nice service man following me, to do just that. On my way downstairs I realized that - to avoid appearing strange - I would have to explain why we needed to stop by the refrigerator to pick up my keys. Oh, did I mention? The only way to make sure I don't leave without my groceries is to make it so I can't leave without my groceries - I stash my keys in the fridge! After my rushed explanation, he made me feel oh-so-much better by saying (with a straight face and no hint of humor) "oh, don't worry, I keep my keys in the fridge all the time." Thanks buddy.

I'm a dork. It has been proven.

Luke Grows Up

We actually followed through with a photo project we started when Luke was a newborn. Starting at just a few days old, we took a picture of him every month on (or a few days after) his "month-i-versary". We took each picture in the same spot with the same teddy bear. How fun to see the transformation from infant to little boy in just a year!

Note to self

I am going to file this mom-answer away to use in later parenting years:

Rory: When are you going to tell them?
Lorelai: Soon.
Rory: When's soon?
Lorelai: When the big hand gets to the "s" and the little hand gets to the "oon".

Thanks, Gilmore Girls.

I'm Back...I Think.

I have not blogged in, uh, a really long time. My follow-through sucks. It is just more enjoyable to live my life than to take pictures of it and write about it. But I miss writing, and this is the only "fun" writing that appeals to me right now.

Last week, my husband's grandmother passed away. She was ninety-seven and had lived a full and vigorous life. She was blessed to be at home, surrounded by family, in the last days of her life with a gaggle of great-grandchildren screeching through the house, neighbors dropping by with food, and the grown-ups of the family caring for her, sitting near her, and filling the house with activity. During the week following her death, this flurry of family activity continued. It was mostly centered around the kitchen table where piles of photos and mementos were sorted through. Such treasures! A book of ration stamps from WWII, 100 years of photos, notes, letters, newspaper clippings, programs from funeral services, pressed flowers, school diplomas, all part of the treasure of the family's history. Entire lives were summarized in those few peices of paper tucked between the pages of the family bible.

Reading through the notes and letters, it struck me that future generations will have much less to sort through when my generation is the dying generation. We are so proud of being paperless - online bank statements and utility bills, emails (not likely to find any of those tucked in the family bible), instant messaging, facebook messages, texts, etc. - the whole of our social interactions will be a historical black hole some day...at least, in hard copy.

It's odd that this experience makes me return to blogging, because an online journal is hardly an enduring example of the written word, but it's better than nothing! It will be fun for me regardless of whether or not anyone is still reading this!

Baby Shower in a Box

With Little Sis only weeks away from her due date, we here (sisters, aunts, grandparents) are very aware of the distance separating us. To shower her and baby with love, we put together a "Baby Shower in a Box" and shipped it off. Although it wasn't nearly as fun as the real thing, we had a great time shopping, creating, and putting together video messages on a dvd.

The first picture is the loot before it was boxed up, and the second picture is of canvases that I painted to match the bedding set in Baby's nursery.

We can't wait to hear that baby has arrived safely! Any day now...!

The Non Gourmand

Ever have a sweet craving with no sweets in the house? Strange things are created....

Peanut Butter Soup:

• Scoop some peanut butter into a bowl (Jif for the discerning palate)
• Dump in some chocolate chips
• Microwave
• Stir until smooth
• Eat it with a spoon

Ya. We're sophisticated around here.

A Few Good Things

• Popchips
• Gnarly Head Old Vine Zinfandel
• Homemade polenta
• Figs
• Alpicella Bakery's Sourdough
  
• Chocolate Stout
• A Schwinn recumbent bicycle (for obvious reasons)
  

A Common Theme

If I had to sum up this year in one word, it just might be "Craigslist"! Nuts! Working on the house and acreage, preparing for baby Luke, caring for livestock, and upgrading vehicles all had the potential to hugely impact our bank accounts...but it isn't so bad with good ol' craigslist! The other day we were compiling a mental list of the things we've bought and sold within the last year and were amazed! Saddles, cars, furniture, animals, etc., etc.

One upside of the current state of our economy is that everybody seems to be downloading little extras to make some ready cash. Bonus, if you're shopping! We're in the process of trying to simplify our house a bit - getting rid of bulky furniture to make room for a piano in the front room and clearing out our guest room to make it double as an office.

There was a very exciting moment today when I ran across this fabulous item on craigslist with mattresses included for $150!

I emailed AND called immediately...but someone had beat me to it! Sadness. I have been mourning the loss all day. It would have been perfect for our flexible office/guest room...and then would work great as a kid's bed during the post-crib years. All that and storage drawers too! Have I mentioned how sad I am about this missed opportunity? I just hope the lucky purchaser will enjoy it as much as I imagine I would!

From Our House to Yours!

baby

gone gone gone so long

It's been so long since I posted that I had to pop by and read my own blog today just to remember the last thing I said!

Lame.

Not much new here. Luke and I are hanging out a lot and I'm trying to cram in lots of snuggles before I head back to work at the beginning of November. That will be a sad day, but at the same time I'm happy that my new work schedule is now confirmed and I will only be in the office 3 days per week! Things just seem to work out they way they need to and I'm feeling very blessed.

This has been a busy month. Casey is finished with the fire season but it is now hunting season. The deer hunt yielded some venison for the freezer, and hopefully the upcoming elk hunt will do the same. It is 11 pm and I can hear Casey and his dad in the garage packing up gear and scheming about tomorrow mornings' start to the shenanigans. This is the first big pack trip with the mules we now "co-own", and much hair pulling is going into the planning to make sure it is, indeed, a hunting trip and not a disastrous rodeo. We shall see....

Here's a picture of a practice run in the pasture:

Luke News

For those near and far, here is a little update on our baby boy. Luke is growing like a weed - 10lbs, 9.5 oz and 23" long at his one month appointment, and probably much more by now. He will be 2 months on the 28th. He is outgrowing outfits with great speed!

He is starting to coo and smile and interact with us, but he still hasn't figured out that his hands belong to him. I think he wonders what these things are that keep smacking him in the face! He has amazing vocal cords, is very strong, and is already very capable of sustaining a temper tantrum for a long period of time. Yikes!

He is very game to jaunt around the countryside with me on errands and such. He has gone camping, hiking, was in his first car accident at 8 days old (scary, but minor...and not our fault), and attended his first golf tournament today. He seems to enjoy his Auntie Jody's singing so we listen to her CD in the car all the time.

I have many, many, many pictures, but will just post a few.

On a hike to jump crick with Mom & Auntie Becky

Just being cute

Sad face

Oh Canada (obviously dressed by Mommy)

What is he trying to say here? Surely not a comment about his shirt!?

Smiling at Daddy

Belated Baby Announcement

WELCOME

LUKE MURRAY EAGER

Born 7.28.08
8lbs., 6oz.
21" long
Cute as a button

He's generally a pretty agreeable little guy. He's growing a lot and developing more personality every day. We love him to bits and are amazed that he is finally here!

Here he is, meeting the rest of the family...

And snuggling with Daddy after a bath...

And hanging with Mom at the beach on his first camping trip...

Man at Work

Although I wouldn't trade careers with my husband for even a day (I like regular showers, A/C, sleeping in an actual bed, and would rather admire the dirty, sweaty, hot, endless work from afar) I must admit that I'm a little jealous of the "office(s)" in which he works!

It's a bit tough, though, to find anywhere to vacation in the western states that he hasn't already seen! Oh well - I guess that makes him a well qualified guide for someone like me who has so much yet to see.