The Fall House

update

2010-05-18T21:19:00.002-04:00

so, been on facebook... my whole family is on facebook, so it makes things easier. for those of you still occasionally checking out the fall house, here is the update. We are building a shed that keeps getting bigger and bigger, I think we may end up with a pole barn in my suburban front yard by the time we are all done with this. Oh yeah, and Ellen Ann was born on May 3 and is doing well. The computer is in the basement now, so I do not even get to facebook all that often anymore. Gotta get the post done quickly, Ellen will be hungry again soon. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy!

Philosophy class with Thomas Fall

2010-02-03T19:20:00.005-05:00

So... Here are a few of the latest Tommy conversations:

"When I get big I am going to play cards and eat mints."

"My sister is going to wear clothes? Really mom? She is going to be real?"

"We don't eat poop. That would be rediculous. And Yucky."

"It is rude to put poop on your face. We don't put poop on our face. We just look at it. We don't touch our poop. It is rude."

(looking at a crucifix) "Mom, there is a guy on that cross" Me: "Yes buddy, his name is Jesus." Tommy: "No, mom, that's not Jesus. Jesus is a baby, I sawed him at church. That is his Daddy." (I start to think that I could get into a conversation about the Trinity with him, but opt to say, "No, that is Jesus too." for now.)

"No, Mom, that thing is not the waffle maker, Daddy is the waffle maker."

"If I have a mouth and you have a mouth and I have a leg and you have a leg, why don't you have a penis?"

"I know this is a green yogo, but actually, this one is green too."

(getting ready to sit down on his bathroom stepstool) "This is an ottoman that is my size. I don't have to climb to sit on it. It is my ottoman."

That is all for now...

Happy New Year!

2010-01-03T08:42:00.004-05:00

We are back at home safe and sound after a whirlwind week. I am so grateful to be surrounded with such great family. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and new year. We sure did. Thomas loved all of the family time, I am not sure how he will react to having to get up early an go to daycare on Monday. I am sure there will be crying involved. I know if it were socially acceptable for me to lie on the floor and kick and scream a little, I might on Monday too.

Blogger is not letting me post pictures right now. I have them up on FB. I will try to post later.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-24T14:25:00.002-05:00

Cookies for Santa-Check.
Clean house for relatives tomorrow- Check."What? I have to put a tie on and go to church TONIGHT? Fine. Just promise me that Santa is really coming tonight, and I will do what ever you ask. Just try to eliminate the amount of pictures you take Mom."

It's a sister!

2009-12-19T12:18:00.002-05:00

It's a sister! Tommy has a picture up on his bedroom window, and is very proud. I have decided that I am completely incapable of blogging. I was going to use Facebook as an excuse, but I am terrible at updating that too.

In other news, Potty training was a quick huge success. Less than a week! Woohoo! Next on the task list, cleaning out the computer room to make room for sister!

the curls are taking over

2009-11-18T19:57:00.002-05:00

and I am loving it. So, to update, Tommy is in a big boy bed, and we are tackling potty training. Time passes so fast!!

Oct 31

2009-11-02T19:55:00.002-05:00

Great fun was had. We actually socialized with adults. My mom rocks. She took Tommy for the night. He go out with his cousins and get some treats. It was a really good day. Homemade costumes rock. It comes in handy to have an engineer with a full arsenal of tools to construct my vision...

no title needed.

2009-10-12T19:24:00.004-04:00

A boy conflicted

2009-10-02T18:48:00.004-04:00

In a week where the Tigers are in a pennant race, and the MSU game is on the schedule for big blue, one boy stands conflicted. What to wear?????? Who needs my support the most today? Okay, both is an acceptable answer. Thank goodness. Don't know what he would have done if he had to choose.

Just so that you know that I am not exaggerating... This is the boy that usually watches Blues Clues in the morning when mommy doesn't have to be to work until 9:30. This morning, he finished breakfast, went over to the couch and said, "Mommy, I need to watch football or baseball."

I turned on sports center, and he watched for 5 minutes while I finished packing his lunch. Daddy and Pop Row Row should be so proud.

Between Daddy and Tommy, I feel my days of TV are very numbered. I have insisted that we only have one TV in the house thus far. I enjoy the fact that we do not watch all that much when T is awake, but I just do not have a good feeling about this. Do other two year olds enjoy sports center recaps?

Light writing

2009-09-12T21:37:00.002-04:00

Oh... the fun!!!

So, if you have never learned to light wright with your digital camera, you must. it is quite fun.

T is almost 2

2009-09-08T21:54:00.002-04:00

I can not believe how old he is.. i refuse to believe it. he is still one for another couple of weeks... he is still my sweet little baby boy..but he will tell you, "I am not a baby, I am a big boy."

I know I am bias as his mother, but I sewar to you, it does not get any cuter than my sweet little Tommy...

the darndest things

2009-08-31T22:15:00.002-04:00

Some recent Tommy sayings:

"Oh...I made a big mess mamma."

"I want more watermelon, Lisa." (daycare teacher: "Tommy that is all of the watermelon your mommy packed") "It's okay, just call mamma."

"Can I please see pop row row in a few minutes?"

"Mia, I ride a train, did you ride a train?"

"I got a owie on my elmo" (Daddy, "You mean your elbow, Tommy?") "Yes, my elmo."

"Mamma, I spitting. Spitting is a bad idea. Spitting rude, okay mamma?"

He is all over this communicating thing. It is pretty cute. Had a fantastic weekend with my family. He misses "Uncle Bill and everybody" a lot.

The dog, the myth, the legend

2009-08-22T20:26:00.003-04:00

Dash, the wonder doggie, has a new forever home. He has retired to a lake house. He is loving it, and so are his new family members. He has a little furry brother to play with, and a great yard and house situation. We have been looking to do this for about six months now, but were waiting for the right family to come around. It was incredibly difficult on us to make this decision, but in the end it was for the best. He is a fantastic pet, but he has an unusually high amount of dander, making it very difficult for our family and friends with allergies to enjoy a visit to our house. We also have found ourselves traveling more, and it just was not working. We hemmed and hawed about it for quite a while. Tommy does not seem to be too worried about it either, he has only asked about Dash twice since the move, and I just tell him, "Dash lives with a new family now." and that seems to be satisfactory to him. I thought Tommy would ask more questions, but he simply has moved on pretty quickly. Matt and I miss him terribly, but are happy that he is happy. It has been a week now, and it is still strange for Matt and I to go to bed without the furry little dude following along to the room. We still are careful about not leaving the door open for more than about a half second. It was very weird for me to come home to see Matt mowing the lawn without this happy little guy tied out to the tree, enjoying the breeze. But... no more barking when the garage door opens, no more kicking him off of the couch every time I get back into the living room, and best of all, the vacuuming situation will be drastically different. We may be able to vacuum without having to dump out the container 3 times before we are finished. Still, it is a little odd. But Dash is very okay with this decision, I have been in contact with his new mommy, and he has transitioned beautifully. It is just a little odd for us. It is what it is. I guess I can look forward to being able to wear black pants again without making sure that I have a lint roller in the car. If nothing else, there is always that.

The Little Green Frog Part II: Not so Little Anymore

2009-08-12T20:25:00.006-04:00

Remember the green frog who liked my dasies (on the stem in the background)? Well, turns out there are a million like him all over my yard. They are so gosh darn cute! We had fun with a little green frog on the deck yesterday. Tommy spotted it. then it jumped over the edge! Not to worry, it was a tree frog, with sticky legs, so it hung out on the side of the deck for a while. Tommy looked and looked at it. He was very amused. Daddy came over to get the frog back on the deck. He jumped on Daddy's foot. That was hilarious!! Tommy really liked things so far... then things took a turn for the worse. The frog jumped on Tommy's leg. He did not like that one little bit. He let out a TERRIFIED scream. Then the frog jumped off, all was right with the world again, and the little green frog moved on with his day. And Tommy moved on with his. He even bragged later "I got a frog on my leg!" He seems to forget the part where he screamed like his life was in danger, but I suppose that is all for the best. Tommy and I went an picked a cucumber, and went inside to eat it with Daddy before bed. It was delicious. I never realized that this particular vegetable could be so flavorful. Don't get me wrong, I do love cucumbers, I just never realized how truely yummy they could be. The end. I think this story would make an excellent screen play, it is riviting.

mmmmm ahhhggghhh

2009-08-04T19:24:00.007-04:00

mmmmm ahhhggghhh went the little green frog one day... I could not get that song out of my head as I took this series of pictures. Those of you who know the song, I apologize. It is one of those songs that sticks around in the ol' noggin for quite some time. I just felt the need to share that moment with all of you, hoping that if I put it down in writing, it would leave my head. That theory proved false. To those of you who do not know the song, I apologize if you feel left out, that was not my intention. Find peace in the knowledge that you do not want the song in your head right now, it is not good. If you are a sub 5 year old, you may find the song amusing and possibly hilarious, but otherwise, you are not missing a thing. Speaking of hilarious, my son said the following to me in the car today, out of nowhere, "Mommy, I am hilarious." I laughed out loud. He is hilarious.

...Please pardon the small interuption in the story... Did you ever realize how hard it is to use the mouse in your non dominant hand when you are trying to stop an almost two year old from playing with it, while he is trying to avoid Daddy? Daddy is starting the tub. The tub that goes right before the story. The story that goes right before prayers. The prayers that go right before bed. He is not interested in the day ending, so is attempting to hide with me. Something tells me that Daddy will find him. Now back to your regularly scheduled post...

Ahh... dasies. I love them. This time of year, they are the best. So sunny, so bright, so cute. Mine have taken off this year. I cut about 50 dasies a week to bring into the office and Tommy's daycare. I do not want the summer to end! I am loving this. Apparently the entire small creature world agrees with me. I caught all of these little buddies enjoying the dasies tonight. (Sorry for the quality of some of the pictures, it is hard to capture the little guys)

A moth enjoys the color yellow.

A daddy long legs climbs up the long stems. Can you see him?

A grasshopper jumps on top.

A fly lands on a flower to join in on the fun.

The little green frog hides on a leaf.

Oh, and by the way, the dragonflies at my house are bright cardinal red this year. I have never seen anything like it. Anyone else have red dragonflies this year?Also, I know what you are thinking. Two posts in one week. Has Katie lost her job? What is with all of the free time? Not to worry. All is well. Just felt like sharing a little more lately. I am sure that I will be back to my once a month posting soon enough. Just enjoy the extra communication while it lasts.

By the way, Grandma came to visit this weekend and Tommy loved it. She brought a fire truck to ride on. And hats to play with.

Come on people. I know you do not come to this website to listen to my random thoughts... you come for pictures of the cute dude. Isn't he a cute dude?

The Sleeping Bear Dunes

2009-08-01T18:11:00.010-04:00

So, if you have not ever been to the Sleeping Bear Dunes, go. Take your camera. Prepare to burn your feet on hot sand. Prepare to do a lot of hiking. Prepare to have your mind blown. It is breathtaking. Seriously, you need to go.

This post is long overdue, but the issue is simple. I have well over 200 pictures of the place, and narrowing it down to just a few to share with you has been difficult. Now, I need to decide which ones to print. Matt and I loved the trip so much that we definately want some prints up at the house, just do not know which ones. If you have any guidance in this area, or any comments about the pictures, I have put a number under each one for your commenting convience. (for all two of you that comment.)

3

4

18- might be my favorite, but I am fickle, and may change my mind before I publish this post.

29- we are quite far up at this point. that little white dot in the water to the leftof matt's hip is a seagull flying over the water.

Still at grandma and grandpa's

2009-07-07T20:33:00.007-04:00

My son is having about the best vacation that a 1 3/4 year old can have... There has been the air show. (it was loud-that is why everyone has thier ears protected- thanks to Uncle Eric). Tommy now is obsessed with planes. I do not know how this little boy is going to function independtly when he get home, after being waited on hand and foot by his adorable cousins. He is really soaking it all up. Next, we got to go ride on the Manitu, and have 5 servings of Moomers ice cream. It was amazing. The view from the ship was breathtaking. Tommy is now obsessed with boats. Tommy is also now obsessed with ice cream. Also, everyone is enjoying the new back yard! The waterfall is so natural and relaxing! Only a few more days of resting relaxing and having fun. Too bad there are no jobs for Matt and I up here... we love this area!! And I just need to mention it again... Does life get any better than this for a little boy? Tommy is now obsessed with Grandpa.

on vacation

2009-07-04T11:39:00.000-04:00

Tommy is having a blast with his cousins! He feels like a big dude!

There once was a little boy who wanted to go outside...

2009-06-23T21:21:00.012-04:00

There once was a little boy named Tommy who wanted to go outside. It was hot outside, but Tommy did not seem to notice. Mom let him wear his bathing suit, so the heat was not so bad.

First Tommy ran through (okay...he only really ran around) the sprinkler. That was enough to get wet though.Then, he needed a break, and took a seat in the chair.Then, he played with a pine needle.Then he played with some bark. He told his Mommy what nice bark it was.
Then, he took off his sandals. He liked the tickle of the grass on his toes.Then, the day got even better.What is that you see Tommy?Over here Tommy?Oh... over there. What is it?
Oh... a cute little froggie! How fun!Tommy chased the frog for a long time, but eventually, it was time to go inside.It was a great day. Tommy even made some artwork before bed.Goodnight!

We got a new bike rack today!

2009-06-19T19:53:00.002-04:00

Now we can take our bikes on the road. Thanks to Daddy and Tommy putting things together.

I have no real story behind this picture. I just love my lillies

This is how I brush my teeth

2009-06-18T19:45:00.003-04:00

By Tommy.

Step one. Let mom do the brushing.

Step two. Get frustrated. Demand to do it myself.

Step three. Get toothbrush wet.
Step four. Suck water off the toothbrush. Repeat steps three and four as many times as possible, until mom turns off the water.

what a cute little voice...

2009-06-09T20:39:00.008-04:00

The little dude has been especially cute lately, I find myself reaching for the camera at all times. I just feel like I need to capture it all...

Here are some cute pictures of Tommy announcing that he is going to "sneak" into the garden, Tommy once he is in the garden (it must be confusing to him that I am telling him to get out of the garden and taking a picture of it at the same time, I am sure it sent a mixed message. I refer to myself as the "Mommaratzi"sometimes. I should probably put the camera down and parent...) Also included are photos of Tommy's rock collection. He is so proud of his rocks. He will tell you which ones are heavy, which are flat, etc. There is also a photo of Tommy "Helping" water the garden, and one of him eating an entire apple (a fairly large one) on his own.

We took a bike ride to the park and the lake on Sunday, there are a couple of photos of Daddy and Tommy wading in the water. Lastly, my son's favorite breakfast cereal is now Frosted mini-wheats, he will even eat them dry! In the mini-wheats photo, he is telling me to put the camera down. I should probably listen to him...

So the first video is Tommy singing his ABC's. Or at least some semblance of an attempt to do this. He is very quickly distracted by his dinosaur.

The next video is what Matt refers to as my best video yet. Tommy does 10 little monkeys. Somewhat. His voice is so darn cute! See ya later!!!

Your monthly Fall house pictoral update...

2009-05-20T20:47:00.009-04:00

So, I know that your expectations of this blog are low, as far as updates go, but I will keep doing monthly updates at least. My job requires that I spend a lot of time on the computer now, and I just have no desire to stare at the screen once I get home... However, I do love sharing pictures of our little cutie with the world, so I will not give up on this blogging thing yet.Things have been busy as always here at the Fall house. We are loving spring!! We bought new bikes, and riding has been fantastic! Side note- I have exercise induced hives, which makes it so that when too much blood flows (increased heart rate, etc.) I break out. The breakouts are specific to the area I am working. (ie. when I am running, my thighs break out) Anyhow, I say that to say this: I love my new bike. I have never been able to ride without my hands breaking out severely due to the vibration on the handlebars (this is the same reason I can not push a lawnmower) However, my new bike has great shocks! I have not had one single issue with my hands! It is glorious! I am so excited, I ride it just about every day. We are borrowing a little bike trialer thingy from my Mom for Thomas to use, and he is loving it! "Go fast, Mommy! Go fast!" He is a great little motivator!
Tommy's language continues developing so much every day. He loves to communicate. He really can get stuck on a theme though... Matt's grandpa passed away peacefully last week, and will be greatly missed. Tommy loved to sit on his lap. We were able to spend some quality time with the Fall side of our family through this difficult time, and it was quite refreshing. Matt's sister and her fiancee flew in from New York for the funeral, and Tommy got to meet his Uncle Mike. Something about Uncle Mike really captured Tommy. He really enjoyed spending time with him. We were in the car for a half hour trip that somehow took us an hour, and practly the whole time, Tommy kept saying, "Mike! Hey! Uncle Mike! Hey, Mike!" and when Michael turned around and said, "Tommy!" Tommy would laugh, and laugh and laugh. I am not kidding you, this game lasted at least 20 minutes. I was afraid that Michael may need a neck brace after turning his head back and forth so much, but Tommy really enjoyed the game. I had a similar Tommy experience this afternoon driving back from daycare with him. Shortly after we left campus, he yelled very clearly from the back seat, "No more monkies jumping...bed" I took this as a cue to sing the song, and everytime we got to the "No more monkies..." part, Thomas would yell along. We did this the ENTIRE 30 minute ride home. My mouth was very dry once I arrived home.
Wow! This is turning into quite a long post! Here are some updated pictures of the cool little dude:
I am loving the gardening again this year. There is something marvelous about a well planned perinnal garden. The plants we have put in have continued to thrive, and we are likely in need of dividing many of them in the fall. They are just getting too big for their space. I will post some pictures of the Beard Tounge, Daisies, Sedum and other perennials as they bloom, but for now here are some garden pictures:

Some sedum that is really taking off
My favorite late spring bulb, ornamental onion.
Some bleeding hearts, Thanks Angie! They are doing great!
Phlox

That is all that is in bloom in the planned garden areas, but I went for a walk in the woods on our property and found a couple of flowers. I also took some peaceful pictures that I really like, and well, since it is my blog after all, I am going to share them.I know that this one is Trillium, because I have been on the hunt for one of these, and could not find it at any of our local nursery. Matt happened to see one out of the corner deep in the woods when he was cutting the grass. I can not believe that we have been looking everywhere and it is growing wild on our property. I have since learned that is is an endangered, protected plant, Native to Michigan, so I think I will just leave them where they are, since they are so beautiful.Does anyone know what this beautiful little blueish purpleish flower is?

Happy Star Wars Day!

2009-05-04T16:05:00.001-04:00

What??? Happy Star Wars Day???

Yes... May the 4th be with you.

Ha!Ha!Ha!

A picture update

2009-04-12T20:33:00.009-04:00

I hope everyone had a great Easter. Again, I have failed at this blogging thing...I am providing all two or three of you that actually still have faith in my blog and visit it occasionally the opportunity to view multiple pictures, in no particular order, to get you up to speed on the Fall House. Again, I promise to try harder to make this a regular thing. What has happened since I last blogged? Lots! I made a cute little quilt for my sister's new baby girl (coming in June). Work is still work. One of Tommy's favorite activities in the world is to help Mommy or Daddy recycle. He is hilarious. Whatever he is doing, if he sees one of us rinsing a plastic bottle or taking apart a box, he stops what he is doing and says" Mamma! (or daddy) Cycle?" Then, he runs over to me (or Daddy) and grabs whatever the object is, and heads to the garage, where he puts the object to be recycle in the proper bin (with mommy or daddy telling him which bin it goes in). Then, he comes inside for a bragging session, he walks over to the parent who did not help out and says"Daddy, I cycled!! I cycled!!" Then, we tell him good job, and he moves on with his day. The other morning, he cracked me up with this. Daddy already went to work and I had a milk jug that needed recycling. He helped, but then came inside and could not find anyone to brag to, so he walked over to the dog (who was eating breakfast) and said "Dash, I cycled! I cyled!" I laughed so hard!! Anyhow, you did not come to read my ramblings, you came to see pictures of the cutie, so here they are...

Tommy loves "Forts"
This is one of his favorite forts to build with help, and then hide and "read". Outside is the best!!, and when you are not outside, you are thinking about outside...Hats? Hats are awesome! By the way, when Thomas pumps his fist in the air and says "Awesome!" I can not contain my smile, it is hilarious. He started doing this about a month or so ago, and it still has not gotten old, but I digress... here is the awesome hat picture...
I just can not believe how big he is getting, he loves eating on his own, sitting at the real table, and coloring...That's all for now. By the way, tonight I made some delicious PB and Choc. cupcakes. Both of my dudes LOVED them.

Cardboard

2009-02-24T19:25:00.002-05:00

Daddy got something in the mail today. Tommy did not care what it was. The important thing is that it came in a box.

Hi

2009-02-23T19:52:00.012-05:00

Hello! Life in the Fall house has been okie dokie lately. . Yes, I did say "okie dokie". I am bringing the phrase back. Along with "yepper pepper". But, I digress...working like crazy, but glad to have jobs. Tommy is growing like a weed. He is getting too smart for his own good. Matt has been painting. I can't wait to post some pictures of all of the painting the hubby has been doing. It is turning out soooooooooo nice! That will come soon enough, we are getting close to finished and by "we", I really mean "he", I am not the painter in the house. I shovel driveways and play with the kid, those are my main household duties. :) Anyhow, here are some pics and videos of the kid...enjoy!!

Smiling for the camera...he is so interested in the camera now.

Showing you his monkey, his favorite stuffed toy by far. I do not know why. He has just decided it needs to be with him everywhere.

Sitting with Daddy and the monkey, getting ready to read.

Going nuh-night...with the monkey.

Now for those of you who wanted me to post more videos, here are a couple of the cutie. The first one is him being indecisive. He never seems to be able to make up his mind...

The next is him splashing in the tub, a bit camera shy though, usually it is much more...wet...Anyhow, I always sing him this song about the rain, he loves it...
"The rains came down and the floods came up (3 times), and the house on the rock stood firm. The rains came down ant the floods came up (3 times), and the house on the sand went SPLAT!"
When I sing "the rains came down", I just shake my fingers from above his head, down to the water. When I sing "the floods came up" I splash water from the tub into his face...he loves this...Both times I say house, put my fingers together and make a little"house", and of course when I say "Splat" I splash the water...then he splashes a lot of water...I am telling you...he is a crazy splasher...

The next video is him introducing you to his favorite animal

Tickling the monkey...

4 YEARS!

2009-02-12T20:44:00.004-05:00

No, I am not referring in the title to how long it has been since I have last posted, I am simply referring to the fact that it has been 4 glorious years today that Matthew and I have been a blissfully married couple :) Anyhow...We have been up to lots, I have included a video of Tommy for those of you who are excited about seeing the little guy. He is talking like crazy. His list of vocab grows every day. Just because I am so proud, I am going to attempt to list as many of his words here: Mommy, Daddy, Tommy, Dash, Bop (grandpa Fall), Nana (Grandma Ferguson), Chloe, Nolan, Mia, Christa, Pat, Chico, hi, bye, stop, off, down, blue, guy, sit down, all done, up, baby, Taggie, na-night, kiss, thank you, please, pizza, fruit, apple, juice, milk, one, two (demonstrated in video), again, yes, yeah, no,blow, hot, cold, get down, shoes, socks, feet, hand, hair, belly, eyes, ears, nose, mine, you, bed, snack, tub, peek-a-boo. That is all I can come up with now, but essentially, he repeats anything. It is so darn cute. I have got to get video of him "reading". He loves to sit down with a book and blabber.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

2009-01-03T20:24:00.004-05:00

Hello all! We have been busy! I think that it will start to calm down a bit now... We just took the tree down today, which always makes Matt a bit sad, Christmas is by far his favorite holiday. So this is what we did (see pictures of it all below). Tommy learned a new game, we call it "sock monsters". Basically he puts socks, or mittens, or whatever he can find on his hands and pretends to attack someone. He growls and makes his "scary" face. It is hard not to laugh, but if you act flambointly scard, he cracks up. Then he does it again, again, again, again, again, again, again, again and again. We woke up at our house Christmas morning, where Santa brought me a Wii, Matt some gloves, and a sled for Tommy. We then packed up to go see Matt's grandparents in Chesaning for visiting an a fabulous dinner. Tommy got a haircut from Uncle Terry during the Christmas party, and we got to visit with a lot of extended family. Tommy's new haircut looks so good!! We then traveled to Saginaw for a brief overnight stay at my parent's house, where we got to see Tommy's cousins, which he always loves. The day after Christmas we went to Matt's parent's Saginaw townhouse for Christmas with his sister and brother-in-law and the rest of Tommy's cousins. We had dinner there, then went back to my parents house to spend the night. We then did my Grandma Fergie's Christmas party the next day, and got to see a lot of family. We left Grandma's house to travel up to Matt's parents house in Traverse City, where we spent about 5 days. It was so refreshing and fun up there. Matt and I got to play a lot of cards, and Tommy loved the bath tub, and all of the attention from Grandma and Grandpa. We all ate very well!! Then we had to leave, not that we wanted to, but I had to work on Friday, and we came back to the house. Here we have stayed, and set up a new kick butt recycling shelf in the garage. Happy New Year!

I know

2008-12-02T20:26:00.008-05:00

So, I am a bad blogger. Here is a quick update, since it has been over a month since I have updated you (I say "you" as if anyone is still following this blog...)

We did Halloween...

...Daddy took us to Cabelas, Tommy loved the fish tank...

...and then Mommy and Daddy had a great "adult" get away to Traverse City...

...and then there was Thanksgiving (Tommy has a new little cousin, how cute)...

...and a little bit of family time at the bowling alley (we were inspired by wii, but it is much harder in real life)...

...so, I will try to be better, we'll see how it goes. For those of you who do not know, Tommy is a walking, climbing, new word saying machine. He knows where his nose and ears are, he loves help out with anything around the house. He is constantly trying to figure out the world around him. We love our little dude. Matt still has a job, although it is a scary time to be a slave to the auto industry. I still love my job. I hope that I will not disappoint you all with my lack of blogging, I just look at a computer all day at work, and it is hard to get on one when I get home. I promise to try though. By the way, if anyone is interested in a good whole chicken recipe, I cooked a great one tonight. Let me know.

the big mystery...

2008-10-21T19:32:00.005-04:00

So, we had a good weekend, Matt and I made applesauce on Sunday. It is quite yummy! While we were discussing who should stir the apples, Thomas was trying to figure out where the strange square of light came from. It was a mystery.

What is this box of light doing on the carpet???
Does it look different close up???
How about from this angle???
Where is it coming from?? Maybe over here in the corner...

Well, the mystery was put on hold, because the applesauce was cooling on the stove, so we went out to play in the leaves, Tommy had a great time. He loved it.

Tonight, Tommy and Mommy went for a walk. It was 40 degrees. Did Mommy overdress Tommy? Maybe. Did he look adorable? Yes. Did he say hi to everyone we saw on the walk? Yes.

That's about it for now... Thanks for stopping by...Oh yeah, by the way, we officially have a certified walker on our hands. He now prefers walking to crawling, and will walk all the way across the room and is adorable while doing it.

the farm

2008-10-14T20:02:00.003-04:00

After Heddy and I got our hair cut, we went to the farm on Saturday. It was a lot of fun. There were animals (pigs, chickens, a goat, a lamb, ponies, turkeys, etc.) that Tommy was facinated with. Matt had to hold him back from sticking his hand in at the pigs. Although, nothing was quite as interesting as the bumpy pumpkins. Those were pretty cool in his book. (Yes, he is lifting the pumpkin. he is a strong little guy.)Matt, Heather and I enjoyed the cider, donuts and carmel apples. Tommy loved watching the cider being made, and babbled about the bee hive for quite some time. Overall, it was a very successful trip. We were too late for a hayride, but that just gives us an excuse to go again :)

Pumpkin Patch and bonus material

2008-10-10T19:31:00.004-04:00

We picked out pumpkins last weekend. It was so much fun. Tommy played the pumpkins like a drum. He loved it. I loved it. Gram loved it. We picked out one for Tommy, one for Timmy, and one for "Timmy's Baby" ( Timmy is my older sister's 2nd grade son who calls his new brother to be "my baby"). A good time was had by all. And the wedding pictures are in:

Chili

2008-10-05T21:21:00.007-04:00

Before you read this, know that cute pictures of Tommy's trip to the pumpkin patch with Gram and Mommy are coming in the next day or so...

Okay, so we had Chili on Friday, and I have to share the awesomeness of my chili with you in the only way I can at this point. Yummy! One of my favorite things to make in the Fall and Winter has to be Chili! I strongly encourage you to make some. Here is the not so secret Katie and Matt Recipe (in the interest of full disclosure you should know that Matt will always add ingredients when I am not looking, so it never tastes the same twice, but it is always yummy):

Start by browning 1 lb of hot sausage (I typically use the Bob Evans for this) and 1 lb of ground beef. Brown this in about 1/4 cup beer and about a tablespoon of House of Tsang Mongolian Fire Oil (sounds intimidating but it isn't hot) in a large soup pot. At this point your kitchen (or whole house) will smell like yucky beer. Do not fear, it will get better.Add 1 cup chicken broth.

Add 2 large cans of whole tomatoes.

Add one chopped large onion, one chopped large green pepper, 2-4 finely chopped jalapeno peppers ( without the seeds), and 4-6 minced cloves of garlic. When you are deseeding the jalapeno, don't do it with your fingers, I have not been able to put my contacts it since Friday because of my carelessness, always use a spoon or something to do this.

Add well rinsed dark red kidney beans (the more you rinse, the less you toot, trust me the rinsing is an important step that should not be ignored).Add 2 Tbsp. Chili Powder. Not only does Chili powder give this dish it's Chili taste, it almost immediately gets rid of the yucky beer stink.

Add 1 tsp. cumin powder

Add a drained can of corn. Seriously, it tastes good with corn. I promise. Plus it adds a pop of color, which is always fun.
Simmer for 3-4 hours on low, covered, stirring occasionally. You will need to mush the tomatoes as you are stirring. The longer you let it cook, the easier the tomato situation will get. If you are rushing, I have resorted to using my masked potato masher to break up the tomatoes. It works, but I would recommend good old fashioned patience for this, the longer it cooks, the better all of the flavors blend together.

Serve with sharp cheddar cheese, chopped green onion and sour cream. ( I skip the sour cream, but Matt insists that it tastes good...)I have also thrown it all in a crock pot and left it on low all day. It is yummy. Have I mentioned that it is yummy!

Let me know if you try it, and how it turns out.

Try this yummyness..

2008-09-24T22:09:00.003-04:00

...you will not be disappointed.(Is yummyness a word?) My friend Leigh Ann emailed it to me and I made it for Matt tonight, it was too much for him, but he was pleased:

3 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake

Ingredients:

1 coffee mug
4 tablespoons flour (plain, not self-rising)
4 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 egg
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons oil (there were no promises made about the health of this cake)
some chocolate chips
small splash of vanilla

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add the egg and mix well. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the chocolate chips and vanilla and mix again. Microwave 3 minutes. The cake rises, do not be alarmed if it rises out of the mug. Allow it to cool a little, and dump onto a plate if desired. The recipie suggests that you add a dollop of whip cream, but we did not have any.

Aside from the delicious cake, Tommy has been keeping us quite busy, he is starting to take steps!! Also, he is climbing into and onto EVERYTHING! Fortunately, he seems not to have inherited his mommy's balance and coordination, or he would have many more bumps and bruises. He is adorable, as usual, I took him for a walk yesterday, and he kept imitating the bird calls, and every house that had a barking dog really peaked his interest. He kept looking for the dog saying "doggie". The little things he does are so cute. :) That's all for now.

ONE!!

2008-09-18T22:03:00.005-04:00

Hi everybody! Thomas is one, well in a few hours he will be! Oh my goodness! I simply can not believe it. He loved his party. He loved his cake. He loved his presents. He loved the attention. We love our Tommy!! Enjoy the pictures. :) We are going to get professional picture son Saturday. I got the earliest appointment possible, because he really turns up the cute in the mornings. I hope it goes well. I still have yet to decide on an outfit, but I will soon have one. I'll let you know how it goes. TTFN!

a list of tommy's words...

2008-09-09T21:32:00.005-04:00

Wow
Doggie
Mommy
Daddy (although he thinks it is hilarious to call Matt daggie)
grampa (baba)
Bye (he is most proud of this one)
No (scary, isn't it)
Hi

He is growing up so fast!! Oh yeah, and did I mention that he took an independent step this weekend. My heart is breaking with pride (and fear that he will be running everywhere soon and I will not be able to keep up!!) Make sure you look at the post below for obvious information about how proud I am of my recently married little sister.

aww...they will make cute babies....

2008-09-09T21:15:00.004-04:00

I am so darn proud of Xavier and Heather. They are a great couple. Their wedding was fantastic! Heddy was a beautiful bride. My mom and Heather and everybody worked so hard to pull this off. You would never know that it was all thrown together so quickly. Xavier officially leaves on October 1, and is only supposed to be in Iraq for 4 months. Pray for the adorable new married couple, and for his quick and safe return. I have another Brother! Yipee!! Here is a video that I made for them, we watched it at the reception...they will make cute babies someday!!! The last three pictures are my favorites. Turn up the music, my daddy picked it out. I must say that it is still just slightly strange that my little sister is married, but I am so happy for them!

having fun...

2008-08-29T21:42:00.000-04:00

Make a Smilebox postcard

Crazy busy...

2008-08-29T08:09:00.004-04:00

Life has been super busy. We have had students back at work for two weeks now, Thomas is almost walking and almost one, oh yea, and by the way my little sister is getting married a week from today. She was supposed to get married in mid October, but he will be in Iraq by then now. Keep them in your prayers. Well, I am excited about the wedding, everything is falling into place, here is a tommy picture to get you through until I can post again. Kisses and Hugs!!

I know...

2008-08-01T20:24:00.004-04:00

Thomas and Mommy before bed. Thanks for the Jammies Gram!

Tommy and Daddy after a tubbie. He still loves the water, and snuggles after...

I know, it has been forever. We have been a bit busy. Work has been nuts. Oh yeah, and Tommy is crawling, climbing, and even dabbling with walking with a cart. He is still cute, very cute. Although he has a bug bite right in the middle of his forehead, he wears it well. Also, I will be wearing a dental "appliance" for two whole months. Matt and my boss are both excited to take the chance to make fun of me as much as possible. I can not wait. I get it on September 14. It is supposed to help with the pain, and hopefull will correct my jaw problems. The doctor is not overly confident though, and we will see what we have to do if this does not work. Gotta love dodge ball. Anyhow, I ahve provided a couple of pictures of Tommy at bedtime, and a couple of the garden. I will blog again soon...

We're Back

2008-07-13T21:10:00.006-04:00

What a great vacation... a great time was had by all... here are some of the pictures, and I really do mean only some, it was hard to narrow down!

Uncle Terry went to the art festival with us!

DADDY!!

Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Fall with the kiddos

Grandma Fall and Tommy had a blast!

Tubbies in Grandma's sink were AWESOME!!

Molly and Tommy ( I know it is sideways...I messed up...)

Sam and Tommy

Jack and Tommy

Tommy with the Arthur Crew (lunch in the park). By the way, their mom and grandma (my cousin and aunt) own a store in Petoskey, Parkside North. It was just voted the BEST GIFT SHOP of the NORTHWEST!! Way to go!!! If you need a gift for someone, or yourself, visit them in person if you are ever up that way, or on the web. I highly recommend the eco friendly dish soap and counter top cleanser, and the crabtree stuff is all awesome...

The Tall Ship

Grandma and Grandpa ball with Jonah, Annalisa and Tommy on the Tall Ship

Matt and his Dad helping get the sails up

Proud Grandpa!!

My mommy and daddy

This is what Tommy got to do with Aunt Heddy during the wedding. He had so much fun :)

I am so proud of this wedding! Andy and Kristin are the perfect couple, they are so cute!! Their wedding was a blast! (Plus I have an extra sense of pride since they met at our wedding)

Okay... so I am not looking forward to going back to reality tomorrow, but it will be okay...

Traverse City here we come...

2008-07-03T08:47:00.001-04:00

fyi...we will be out of town until the 13th...going to traverse, then petoskey, then midland for a wedding...see you when we get back...i did pack the camera, so i will have pictures when we get back.

running after spending all day in heels

2008-07-01T22:05:00.002-04:00

So, I had to get dressed up today for work. And I think I looked pretty darn good. We had a meeting with many of the athletic directors from other colleges, and I figured sweatpants were not appropriate. Anyhow, I walked around all day in heels and my feet were killing me by the end of the day, because I was just not used to it. Oh my goodness, I was so not ready for the pain that would come on my run tonight though. Holy cow! My calves were so tight when I was done, that walking was actually more painful than running and I had to have Matt stretch out my legs because I could not even stand very well by the end of it. My legs were rock solid, and I could not get the pain to go away. After a hot shower and an hour on the couch I am back in the land of the living. The worst part about it was that I felt really good otherwise during the run. I was not out of breath at any point, and I was actually feeling great in the cardio department, my lower legs just would not cooperate. I have just learned that I probably can not handle running at night after a long day in very uncomfortable shoes.

Home is...

2008-06-29T20:55:00.003-04:00

...where I get to look out on some beautiful trees in the back yard...

where the loves of my life are...

oh yeah...and that white hairy thing is there too...

train wreck

2008-06-26T20:04:00.001-04:00

some things are truely like a train wreck. You do not want to see it, but once you do, you can not look away... click here if you dare. I am not even going to attempt to explain what you are about to see. (it is family appropriate, don't worry).

3 minutes

2008-06-25T21:03:00.002-04:00

So, if I say it out loud...or write it here...maybe it will be more real. I have let myself get a bit pudgy. Okay...I am fat. I need to lose weight. Tommy is nine months old now, the "baby weight" excuse is just not working anymore. I have recently started running again and watching what I am eating, and it feels really good. Three minutes is a huge difference though. I am doing this run, then walk thing. I told myself that I would not over do it, because when I do, I tend to get discouraged. So I run for 2 and walk for 2. It is a good work out, but not too challenging. So tonight, I decided to challenge myself a bit. I ran pretty quickly for me for as long as I could until I had to start walking, keeping in mind that I needed to keep walking or running for at least 20 minutes ( I won't let myself back inside until then). That whopping impressive amount of time proved to be 7 minutes, then I waked for 3, then went back to my run 2 walk 2 thing. Those math folks have already calculated that in my 20 minutes I only ran 3 more than normal. But 3 minutes was the difference between an okay workout and one where I actually sweat- a lot. Matt insisted that I go directly to the shower when I entered the house again. Anyhow, it felt good, and kinda bad that 3 minutes can make that big of a difference. I guess that this means that I offically am out of shape, but I am doing something about it. There, I said it out loud...or wrote it...but still, now I feel like I am accountable to not give up on this journey to being a healthier person. TTFN.

the Dentist?

2008-06-23T21:11:00.002-04:00

So, tomorrow morning Tommy and I are going to the dentist. For him. That's right folks, new ADA guidelines say that you should take your child to the dentist 6 months after the first tooth erupts. Therefore, I am taking my nine month old with two teeth to the dentist. Interesting...I am not quite sure what she is going to do with him, but it will be interesting. She insisted that I sign him up for an appointment...we have the insurance, so I am taking him. I will let you know what happens. I am sure it will be eventful. Side note- if you get a chance, check out Green and Clean Mom. She has a lot of contests and the most recent one is for IsaBooties. My aunt and cousin sell them at their store, Parkside North, and they gave me two pair, and they are awesome! Tommy can not rip them off of his feet, they are eco-friendly, and adorable! It does not get much better than that. Anyhow, I am going to call Mandy...I am so excited to go up to see everyone in Traverse and Petoskey soon!!! Yipee!!!

straight lines

2008-06-22T22:25:00.004-04:00

sometimes i forget just how teeney he was just a few short months ago... boy they grow fast.

It's been a while...

2008-06-18T21:54:00.006-04:00

So... The flowers are blooming and Matt is wrapping up his last classes for his Masters, and the computer time has been very limited. But so has my time with him...so I will keep this brief...Matt "graduated" this past weekend. I think that it is so silly that they have the ceremony two weeks before his classes end. He kept saying that he does not really have time to go to the ceremony, he has too much work to do to finish his classes. It seemed quite ironic. I am so proud of him though. The graduation was really nice. Grama Fall entertained Thomas. He loved it. They both loved it as you cen see in this picture taken moments before it started. Matt has worked so hard to finish this degree. He is awesome. So, I feel I must mention what an awesome daddy he is in honor of Father's Day. He is so good with Tommy. Tommy would not let him go after the graduation ceremony (hence the cute picture). Really though, Matt has never shyed away from diaper duty (okay, maybe not never...) Tommy loves to listen to Matt read to him at night. He does the best animal noises. All Matt has to do is say "cockadoodoodledoo" and Thomas laughs uncontrollably. It is so cute to see the two of them together. I love my dudes. :) That's all for now. Matt told me I must blog tonight, "Your fans are missing you" TTFN.

rain rain go away...

2008-06-08T20:41:00.008-04:00

Matt and I took Tommy to the lake today. And he liked it. I am not going to say he loved it, because it was a bit wavy today (lots of boats out). But it was a good experience. Plus, Matt and I have lived 2 minutes from the lake for quite some time now, and it was our first time in the lake. Tommy got to "swim" in his little blow up pool for a little while on Saturday, between the rain. Other than that, lots of rain. Tons of it. Matt mowed the lawn on Thursday, and he is quite upset that it already looks like it could be cut again. Anyhow, that is really about it. The rain kept us inside most of the weekend. :( Oh yeah, with all of this rain, my veggie garden is doing really well. I am very proud and excited. No Tommy pictures, did not take any this weekend, but here is a look at the irises that are taking over my world.

Expressions

2008-06-05T20:34:00.003-04:00

I love the way he expresses himself. The pictures do not even do it justice. He scrunches up his little nose every time he is really happy. I can never get a picture of it. It's just one of those in the moment things. He is pretty cute...

No pictures, but...

2008-06-01T22:03:00.004-04:00

...we had a great weekend. Matt got to go up north for Andy's bachelor party. Good times were had there. I got to hang out with my little sister at home. We went to pick up her wedding dress, which is stunning. I picked out my dress or being her matron of honor. She is pretty cool for letting us pick out our own. Here is a link to the dress I chose. We will all be in wine with navy trim. It will be very pretty. Oh, and Tommy went on a pony ride at Gee Farms. I brought the camera, but no memory card, so, BUMMER. No pictures of the ordeal. He actually was hanging on by the end of it, and loving it. Oh, well, we will get pictures next time. Also, I planted some veggies. Not including the cost of two tomato cages ($8.00) the whole garden cost me $4.00. Heather helped me dig out the spot and prepare the soil. I went around the forested area on our lot and picked up enough sizable rocks to create a border. And I planted 4 tomato plants, 4 cherry tomato plants, 3 mounds of cucumbers, 10ish yellow onions, 3 potatoes, and 4 yellow pepper plants, and 4 jalapeño plants. I am very excited to see how things go. Any tips on keeping the bunnies away? We have mutant bunnies in our neighborhood. I was talking to the neighbor yesterday, and she said that she has never seen rabbits as large as we have. Well, that is about it. I promise to have Tommy pictures soon.

Doing Better...

2008-05-29T20:02:00.003-04:00

Thomas is starting to gain weight again! about a half of a pound in less than a week. The doctor was impressed. Matt and I have been packing him with rice cereal and he has been breast feeding a little bit more. Plus, we have figured out the causes of the spitting up, so he is actually keeping food in his belly! Less laundry! Yipee! Anyhow, his new favorite thing is these teething biscuits. He thinks they are delicious. (Dash does too, he swoops in once Tommy loses interest and gobbles it up.) Tommy laughs and talks the whole time he is eating them, which is usually a good 15 minutes before it gets sacrificed to the puppy. It is quite entertaining! TTFN!

Happy Memorial Day!

2008-05-26T19:43:00.012-04:00

It was a good day! Rain was in the forecast, but not much came our way. 80 degree weather was a good excuse to break in Tommy's pool. Yes, Grama he was wearing sunscreen. I know he is not in a full length body suit, but I swear, no sun burn. :) Thomas loved the pool experience, as you can see, he was a little hesitant at first, I think it was colder than he expected. But, it was not long before he was laughing and splashing. He stayed in the pool for 45 minutes, and loved it. It was the best four dollar purchase in quite some time. Matt got to get 18 holes of golf in, and most importantly- ribs were barbecued. Holy cow, yes, they were as tasty as they look. I swear they get better every time. I hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday weekend. Welcome back to Michigan Heather!

having fun so far this weekend...

2008-05-25T20:22:00.007-04:00

Aren't you proud of me- updates three days in a row! I am so excited that the weekend is not over yet. We have been so relaxed. Yesterday, we picked up the plate that we made at Make it Yours! last weekend. It is very cute if I do say so my self. We put Tommy's footprints on a plate. Then, we went shopping and to the park. Tommy got to play in the sand. He loves getting dirty!! Today, we went to Gee Farms. Check it out, it is this AWESOME farm about 5 minutes from our house. Matt and I love to walk around. They have so many flowers, trees, veggies, bushes,etc. I love going there. There is ice cream there too, but we have yet to partake in that. Although it gets harder and harder to resist every time.Thomas loved feeling the different leaves on the trees, and we even got to see a baby pony, it was adorable. Well, we have grilled almost every meal this weekend, and Matt's famous ribs are up tomorrow, I can not wait. Happy Memorial Day!

garden pictures

2008-05-24T21:45:00.007-04:00

So, as I expressed in yesterdays blog, I am quite proud of my green thumb this year. Not being pregnant has helped with the motivation to water, weed, dig, etc. and the garden looks pretty good so far. Most things are on the verge of blooming. so here is the updated garden...The flowers I so brilliantly chose are: (Left to right)

Foxglove (pink spikey flower, the hummingbirds and butterflies loved this one last year)
the Irises around the tree
the Irises that I did not plant- just threw them in the woods
Ornamental Onion
Hanging basket with Petunias and Superbells
Day Lillies
Purple emperor sedum (this has spread considerably since last year)
lavender (probably the plants that have struggled the most, but I think that I have saved them)
Shasta Dasies- my personal favorite
Hosta (this one has purple flowers)
John Creech Sedum Hybrid- has cute little pink flowers, you can step on this once or twice a day, and it has no adverse reaction, thus it is planted around the stepping stones, and has absolutely taken off since it was planted last year.
Matt's pig, with diamond frost Euphorbia
pot on the deck with one of my gnomes
Beard Tongue (already these are about 3 times the size that it was last year, I think that they were being choked out last year, but they have more room now and they seem to appreciate it very much.)
The maple tree that we bought from QVC, so far so good, we staked it.
Asiatic Lilies- probably the prettiest flower that grows in our garden, they are awesome and are pretty darn tall this year.
another gnome

So...that's it. I know it is boring to most of you, but I am loving this whole gardening experience. I think that Matt and I are going to buy some tomatoes and cucumbers to grow on the side of the house and that will be the extent of the veggies this year, but eventually we will be putting in a small veggie garden in the back, we'll see.

I officially have an iris issue...

2008-05-23T19:15:00.010-04:00

So I know you are all anxious to hear about how Thomas is doing. All is well. Well, all is better than it was. Took him in for his 9 month appointment a month early, because the doctor wanted to monitor the progress that he is making. We have discovered that the lack of weight gain has a lot to do with an allergy or intolerance to bananas and blueberries. That is what has been causing the crazy amount of puking. Then there was the ear infection and his adverse reaction to the medication, more puking. Anyhow...the doctor is hoping that now that we have both of these things under control, we will be able to start packing on the pounds...or ounces. We are hoping that he gains a pound or so in the next three weeks, or else we have to take him for a bunch of lab tests. Not fun... Otherwise though, he is still the happy, content little baby we all know and love. He is just a little well...little. He getting taller, and still has a head circumference that is almost off the charts. I like to think he gets his big melon from all those brains. I have been bad about taking pictures lately, but I have a couple pretty cute ones... My new favorite thing that Tommy does is passing toys, or whatever it is that he has in his hand to you. He is so amused just handing things back and forth. Oh, and today, he discovered the joy of getting dirty. I was weeding, and he sat next to me and dug a hole in the dirt and was SO HAPPY about it. He was laughing out loud, and just kept looking at me like "I can not believe you are letting me do this...this is AWESOME!" Super cute. Here is your Tommy fix...

Anyhow, I officially have and iris issue. They are taking over my world. Does anybody want any? Seriously, I am definately dividing them at the end of the growing season. Last year I threw the extra bulbs in the woods on our property, because , frankly there was no more room in the garden. I did not plant them, litterally just tossed them in the woods, ant they are growing like crazy in the middle of a forest. I thought I had just a few around the tree, and there are tons. Don't get me wrong, I love them, that is why they are there, I just worry that they will choke everything else out. I am so proud of the garden that Matt dug out for me. I love every plant that I have put in it. Really, I am a garden dork. I even bought 2 gmomes that hang off of my plants. They are cool, I don't care what anybody says. Matt gets his pig, I get my gnomes. I was going to post some garden pictures, but blogger is not cooperating, somewhere, the system must know that none of you care to see the garden, you just want more Tommy pictures. I get the message...
Lastly, welcome to the blog Xavier, glad Heddy finally told you about it. I hope you two are having a great weekend. Can't wait to see you again!!

2008-05-13T21:35:00.007-04:00

So, I know it has been a while, and I have no good excuse, just haven't posted in a while. The garden is coming along nicely, the ornamental onion has just started blooming today. Very pretty. I will get pictures at some point before it is done, hopefully. Also, I have freed myself of some of my junk. April Sue's momma had a garage sale, and was willing to sell some of my stuff. It was so liberating to go down in the basement an clear some of our stuff out. Things we have not used since we got married. IT WAS AWESOME!! And... the even better news is that she plans to have another sale in a few weeks, and I will be able to give her more. I am so excited. We found Matt's fourth grade journal in the process, and it was quite interesting to peer into the life of a fourth grade Matt Fall. We discovered that his attention to detail began younger than Matt had estimated. "then we went to Grama's house for ...oh...22 minutes, I was 4 2/4 tired." We had a good laugh reading through the stresses of a fourth grader. Anyhow, Happy Belated Mothers Day to all the mammas out there! We went to Saginaw and visited my family, although the trip sprouted out of a need for a place to stay because I went to Kris's shower in Freeland on Saturday, it was great to visit family. We had good food, naps, and lots of playing... And, we even got to see Matt's parents for a while, it was a great weekend!! Here are some pictures...

Tommy's dinner spot

Dinner Saturday (Missy, Jordan, Bill, My Dad, Heddy, and My Mamma)

Bill and Jordan

As previously stated...naps were had

I am suprised he was willing to nap in his crib again after all of the cuddles that he got this weekend! But...he has adjusted well.

My boys...Aren't they cute??

I really like these pictures, he is such a cuddle bug!

Fun at the PlayScape, Timmy at his finest!! :)

A swinging good day....

2008-05-04T21:18:00.008-04:00

Well, we went to the park again today. Remembered the camera this time...

The Garden...so far

2008-05-04T12:53:00.009-04:00

So, as many of you know, Matt and I built a perennial garden last year. A lot of the flowers are coming back. I am so excited that I did not kill anything, other than the canna. I knew that the canna would not come back though, because I was supposed to dig it up at the end of the year, and I was otherwise occupied with being nine months pregnant when it was time to do the digging. We went this weekend to Menards to get a couple of annuals for all of my pots. So I took a picture of a couple of them. I realize now that I did not take a picture of my amazing lillies, so I will at some point. Anyhow, here are some of the flowers that are coming back. I did not want to totally bore you with all of them, so I have narrowed down the pics to these... Happy Spring!! I love this season :)

Daisies- my favorite - I can not wait.

Okay...I would just like to point out that Matt picked this pot out...seriously...he found it at Menards and asked if I would like to buy it, very cute. By the way that is diamond frost "euphorbia" in the pig.

tulip

parrot tulip (one of my favorites)

petunias and superbells

Japanese Maple Tree (added this year)

deck pot (petunias and diamond frost)

Beard's Tongue

Sedum

How did that picture get in here??

A really cool Story..

2008-05-02T21:13:00.001-04:00

Backpack addiction

2008-04-29T21:01:00.006-04:00

So, I have discovered the ease of having Tommy in a backpack. I LOVED my sling, but he is too big for that now, and I can not for the life of me figure out the front pack. Half of the time I get it wrong and give up. But the Kelty Wanderer that Aunt Janet, Mandy and Allie got for us is amazing. He fits into it perfectly, and I have two free hands. Tommy and I hung out all weekend with this thing, and we took a couple of walks with Dash with it. I can not seem to push a stroller and walk the dog at the same time, but this worked well. The only issue we have is that he no longer likes stroller rides at day care. He will just have to get over that.

Moving along... I have recently felt as if I have lost all sense of femininity in my life. I mean, I was never a girly girl or anything, but I feel I have reached some new low in self maintenance. My job, being in athletics, lends itself to dressing comfortably. Despite what Matt might say about my job (he tells people that I cook hot dogs and play volleyball for a living) I do a lot of work. I never know day to day what I may end up doing. Somehow, wearing a skirt and heels would NEVER work. So, I don't. EVER. In fact many times I end up dressing in sweats, because it is just too gosh darn cold out there during a baseball game when I am taking pictures for the website, or filling in for a sick athletic director, or just doing my job. Which, by the way, no one really knows what my "job" is right now. I am no longer managing the weight room on a regular basis, which is just fine with me. I am just filling in the cracks in the athletic department. Making sure we have concessions, concession workers, announcers, signing up athletes for community service events, managing progress reports and study hall logs for atheltes, scheduling the gym and the fields, etc. Basically, I help my boss wherever he needs me. It is a lot of fun, and most of the time I love it. I love my co-workers (props to April Sue here...) and I have a huge sense of pride in my work. It is great to be a JET. Getting back to my point...I never do anything with my hair, and can not remember the last time I wore make up. I do not get excited about clothes, shoes, or anything of the like. I have a very full closet, but very few clothes for my new body, and I think this contributes to the problem. Like I said, I never was prissy, but I do miss the little bit of feminine Kate. I can tell you where every team in Michigan JUCO Baseball and Softball stand, and talk about the NFL Draft until the cows come home, but I do not even know if pointy or square or rounded toe shoes are in style. It frustrates me to have lost myself in this. It feels like I do not have the time in the day or week to do anything about it either... so I probably won't. It is not that big of a deal, it is what it is.

swim lessons and a baseball game...

2008-04-26T21:39:00.001-04:00

I have to post quickly, Matt has to do some work on the computer.

We did not get to stay very long at the baseball game today, the wind was a bit cold for the little guy, but JCC was ahead when we left...I hope they did well.

Holy cow have groceries gotten expensive.

Today was the last day of swim lessons :( Thomas had so much fun! (I did too)

HAPPY SPRING!!

2008-04-19T19:08:00.002-04:00

I had a great day today- aside from spending more money on my car and dropping Matt's off at the repair shop when we picked mine up- but we are not even going to go there.

What a beautiful day! Sunny and 77 most of the day. We were supposed to get rain on and off, but it never came. Anyhow...I got to clear out half of the front garden, so far, most of my flowers look pretty good. The only thing that does not appear to be coming back is the cardinal flower, but they did not do too well last year. The daffodils and hyacathins are blooming and smelling awesome. I will take some pics of the garden once it is all cleaned out. My fingernails are quite dirty, just the way I like them! By the way, I did remember sunscreen today. I learned my lesson.

Also, Matt and I took Tommy to the park down at the lake, and he LOVED the swing. It was so cute. He kept bracing himself, but laughing the whole way. We tried the slide, and he did not hate it, but did not love it either.

Well, I've gotta go rescue Matt, he is trying to read for school, and Thomas is being quite loud. TTFN!!

tubbies are the best

2008-04-17T21:14:00.004-04:00

We skipped out on swim lessons last weekend, because we went to grama and grampa's house. That does not mean we can not have fun in the water though. I love that he enjoys water so much. I really hope his love for it continues. Both Matt and I are swimmers, and I am so glad that he is not hesitant or scared at all. I can dump water on his head, and he does not flinch. He doesn't mind laying on his back in it, and he LOVES to splash. He is such a cutie! Side note- I got REALLY sunburnt today. My face is quite red. I need to start putting on sunscreen. I feel dumb when preventable things like this happen to me. geez....

The Nuby Nibbler

2008-04-16T10:06:00.007-04:00

So, Tommy is way into this teathing thing now. I have no idea where he is growing teeth, but they are definately coming in. He has had the two on the bottom since he was 4 months old, but this stage is hardcore. He is a drooling machine. His cheeks are a constant shade of firey red. So in the search to make his life easier, we found this. What feels better on painful teeth than something cold? So, he does not really like the frozen teething rings, but this thing, oh my goodness, it is amazing. Okay...I love this thing. We call it his nuby...it is adorable. We put frozen fruit in it (mesh baggie) and he eats it through the bag, and he LOVES it. And by no means can you help him with it, he must do it on his own. He gets quite upset if you interfere. I mean, he can destroy a peach, or a pineapple, or a melon, or anything we put in it. It is a concentrated effort of epic proportions. I love the picture of the sour face. That is how it always starts...

it's been like a whole week...

2008-04-16T09:52:00.008-04:00

I am a bad blogger. I have not written in quite a while.
So, last weekend we visited my in laws' new house (mansion) in Traverse City. It is so beautiful up there. Tommy even traveled well. We did not stop at all the whole way up (3.5 hours) and only had to stop once on our way back down. We camped out on air mattresses and sleeping bags, they have not fully moved in yet, but it was a lot of fun. Our air mattress did fail at about 3am, but the carpet was soft, so it was no big deal...It was nice to see family, and see a kitchen that would make anyone's jaw drop. Seriously, there are areas on the island that no human could reach, it has an indoor grill, industrial appliances, the quietest dishwasher known to man, cupbords with uses I did not know existed, it is sweet. We had a great time, I can not wait to go back up this summer. Here are some pictures of the visit..............

A great Fergie weekend

2008-04-06T19:40:00.000-04:00

We ate (Matt's famous ribs), we slept (lots of naps on the couch), we had fun (baseball/softball game, search and find book, a trip to the park (the boys), registering for wedding stuff (the girls) and watching Tommy do cute stuff). The only people missing were Missy and Xavier, and they were missed. I think all who were here had a good time. Here are some pictures of the weekend at the Fall house:

Tommy Sleeping at the JCC Softball Game

The whole crew (minus Bill and Heddy) watching Softball

Dad aka "Pop" with Timmy at the JCC Baseball Game

The famous ten dollar search and find book

Yummy oatmeal- it tastes much better when Gram feeds you.

Resting their eyes on the couch.

Chico cuddling up

More search and find

Tommy enjoying the weather (and his book)

Pop and Timmy in the back yard

Overall the weekend was quite a success. Yipee!!

Spring Jackets

2008-04-05T09:20:00.001-04:00

Which one do we like??? It has been a great debate in The Fall House (and beyond). Leave a comment. We'll see who wins. :) We are getting ready for a Fergie family visit! I will update with some pictures after the weekend is over. Mom, Dad, Timmy, Bill and Heddy are all coming. I know Heddy's main motivation is doing laundry, but it will be fun!

Annalisa's Party

2008-03-31T21:16:00.000-04:00

So...I was awful and forgot my camera this weekend at Tommy's cousin's party. Everyone was adorable though, and lots of pics were taken. If I get any sent on to me I will post them. Annilisa was hilarious! Everything she opened was "Just what I wanted!!!!!" It was great fun. Sorry so short. Matt just finished a paper so I have a second on the computer, but I am going to go spend some time with him...feel like we never see eachother anymore. Being parents working opposite shifts, and his school- time gets away from us! I will try to take some cute pics tomorrow...TTFN! (those of you who know tigger should know that one)

NEVER buy an Alero

2008-03-27T20:10:00.000-04:00

Thank your lucky stars that Oldsmobile is dead...you will not be tempted to EVER buy their product. Tommy and I were stuck in the bank parking lot today with a car that would not start, because Oldsmobile has this "fantastic" anti-theft system. Basically, if the wiring gets off line or something, you can never start your car again-unless- you pay the dealer a thousand bucks. It was horrible. I hope to get my car back tomorrow, the running tally is re-freagin-diculous. We have thus far replaced the following things:

the transmission
heater fan
HVAC module (twice)
wiper transmission (twice)
brakes
alternator
tie rods
side mirror
front bumper (some crazy lady hit me when I was pregnant)
body control module
lock pass module
PLUS...every time I do not click the gas cap exactly 3 times- no more, no less- the service engine soon light comes on, which is no biggie, just very irritating

I should mention that this is a 2004. So...if it were a kid, he would be in preschool.

I think I have ranted enough. Have a good one!!

HAPPY EASTER!

2008-03-23T20:16:00.000-04:00

So...I think that the Fall Family looked pretty good this Easter, don't you? We went to church, then Matt's Grandparents, Tommy got to see his cousins, it was a lot of fun, and the food was fantastic- many thanks to uncle Terry for the lamb and the best potatoes that I have ever tasted! Well, everything was fab- Matt's mom made my favorite salad, and his sister made amazing cake, it was a great Easter!

2008-03-22T19:07:00.000-04:00

Happy Easter! I went shopping today. I would not recommend going to WalMart on the Saturday before Easter ever-it was a madhouse. But, I had to get diapers and baby food, and I had a secret mission. I was putting together an easter basket for Matt. All I needed was Reese's Peanut butter Eggs. I did not think that it would be that difficult. I ended up going to 4 stores before I found any. I did not realize how popular they were. It was ridiculous-but-Matt loves them, and he gave up sweets for lent. We are traveling tomorrow to go to Matt's Grandma and Grandpa's house, I am excited to have Easter dinner. It will be fun.

Here is your Tommy fix-if you need one. Who doesn't need one?

phew...what a week.

2008-03-21T22:13:00.000-04:00

I have to start out by saying that I am sorry for the delay in pictures, have had issues with my SD card. But, tonight we were back up and running. April Sue took some pretty cute ones of him at work the other day, I will post them someday. :) I went for an MRI on the jaw today. Boy, was that ever fun. I am not claustrophobic, but that particular test could convince anyone that they are. geez... but I digress, none of you are interested in me, you just came here to get your Tommy fix. Major milestone of the day...Tommy put himself to sleep, without a pacifier. I read him his books, we said our prayers, and I put him in his crib. He talked to himself for 20 minutes or so, but never got upset, and he fell asleep. It was very cute, although I am not sure if I am ready to give up totally on cuddling him to sleep, that will be tough for me. Swim lessons again tomorrow, I am very excited! He went to his first baseball game this week. Yesterday was a great day to be a Jet. JCC's baseball and softball team both swept doubleheaders. Again...getting to what you all want to see, here are some Tommy pics. I attempted to get some Easter shots, but, I am not great with the camera, and he kept moving, which was pretty cute...here he is....

fyi...

2008-03-15T22:04:00.000-04:00

For those of you who are wondering why I hsvr not posted lately. I have had a really busy week, and Matt has been really busy with school, making my access to the computer quite limited. So summary of my week: work, multiple dr appointments, mom visiting, swim lessons...can't post any pictures, my sd card is not reading. Will try again tomorrow....

Yummy!

2008-03-15T22:00:00.001-04:00

Aunt Sue’s Macaroni and Cheese

¼ cup butter or margarine

¼ cup flour

2 cups warm milk

Dash of pepper

½ teaspoon or more of hot-pepper sauce

½ cup heavy cream

12 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded coarsely (about 3 cups) divided

8 ounces 2 cups macaroni elbows or favorite pasta cooked and drained

In a heavy saucepan over low heat melt butter. Add flour, stir with wooden spoon or spatula 3 minutes or until mix is frothy and taste of raw flour is gone. Gradually stir warm milk into mix. Turn up heat – stir until sauce is just at boiling point. Turn down heat, let simmer few minutes. Add pepper and hot-pepper sauce. (don’t use pepper sauce too sparingly, it will help bring out the cheese taste). Stir in heavy cream, simmer briefly or until flavors are blended. Stir ¾ cheese into simmering sauce until melted, combine cheese sauce with macaroni. Pour into greased 2 quart dish. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until bubbly and light brown.

Enjoy.

Serves 4

BG in the Free Press

2008-03-11T22:06:00.000-04:00

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008803100317

Check this out. Good article. Brandon Goyings is a great kid, met him at JCC.

More later.

Swim Lesson

2008-03-09T17:57:00.001-04:00

Swim lessons were yesterday. We had so much fun!! Thomas did awesome! He was so comfortable, and did not even mind when I dunked him under water. Got no pictures of the lesson, but Matt did take this one after it was all over. He was cold!!! He slept for about 2 hours after it was all over, and woke up ready to play! Been pretty lazy today, adjusting to losing an hour. I have been asked to post the recipie to the mac and cheese, and I will. Look for it sometime this week.

Another day off...

2008-03-07T20:45:00.000-05:00

Ahh... the joy of working in higher ed. Today was "spring Friday". So, Tommy and I got to hang out again. We went grocery shopping, he slept the whole time. We played, he ate, he pooped, that's about it. No blanket has been made yet, I got distracted by the idea of making stuffed blocks out of scrap material. I made one, It's actually pretty cute. The biggest accomplishment of the day was home made mac and cheese though. Doesn't it look yummy??? It is a recipie my Aunt Sue gave me, and it was delicious! Swim lessons tomorrow, we'll see how that goes!

Day off

2008-03-06T14:35:00.000-05:00

So...I did not have to work today! Now, a year ago, that meant sleeping in, watching TV, and making a yummy dinner. Then, there was Tommy. We were up at 4:45, and he went back to sleep quickly, I just tucked him in and put my hand on his chest. So, I thought I was good for another hour or two. Went back to bed, and Matt's alarm went off at 5. Then he remembered he did not have to go into work until later today. So, back to sleep. Tommy got up hungry at about 5:30, and after eating went back to sleep. So I went back to sleep, until 7:15 when I was done sleeping. No clue why, just done. Geez...I never thought I would reach the point in my life where my body was done with sleep by 7:15. Anyhow, tried to take a bath, but as soon as my feet hit the water, Tommy woke up. So, I ended up showering with him in the bouncy seat next to the shower. After I was clean, Tommy ate some breakfast, and we packed up to go to the YMCA. I needed to finish registering him for swimming lessons. So, I ran into some people there that I used to work with, and of course they are in love with the little guy. I know they were all shocked at my size (3 pant sizes bigger than when I worked there). No one said anything though. I found out that the girl teaching our lesson on Saturday is one that I trained and hired to work there. I hope that there is no akwardness. Anyhow, I think that is it for the day. We came home and he is taking a nap right now, we'll see how long that lasts. I think I am going to attempt to make him a blanket. Which will make Matt happy. He bought me a sewing maching for Christmas one year, and I do not use it nearly enough. I'll see how the blanket making goes.

So...I'm gonna try this blogging thing.

2008-03-05T18:28:00.000-05:00

Hello! Not a great writer, but I love bragging about my adorable, awesesome, intelligent son, so I'm gonna give this blogging thing a chance. Tommy is now 51/2 months old, and has been a blessing from day one. He is pretty much the cutest thing in the entire universe. More later. I will pick out some pictures. So far, not so good with the blogging.