Can you play?

We have some neighbor kids that come over and ask if AJ can come outside and play. Sometimes we go outside and let AJ crawl around and “play” with the kids. Kurt and I have even been known to join in a few games with the neighborhood kids. About a month ago one of the little neighbor girls came over and asked Kurt if he could play outside. He said maybe another day. Kurt told her to ask her Dad to play, she responded, “You guys are the only grown-ups in the neighborhood that will play with us. My Dad won’t do it!”

Last night this same little girl came over and asked Kurt if he would come out and play. He told her we were just getting AJ ready for bed so he couldn’t. About an hour later when Kurt and I were getting ready for bed, the doorbell rang again. There stood the neighbor girl… “Did you get AJ to bed? Can you come out and play now?” :)

Adoption Papers are IN!

Kurt and I have everything turned in for our next adoption. We had the paperwork done before our trip, but I didn’t get our profile done. On our trip Jason took some great family photos of us so when we arrived home I could get it all put together. Or I would be more accurate in saying… Having Kim put it together. I don’t know why but putting together the profile, picking out the pictures and the color scheme and then the whole layout of the profile itself is VERY INTIMIDATING to me! I want it to be just right so a birthmother will see it and think, “I want this family!” I guess I don’t have confidence in my decorating ability; I do however have a lot of confidence in Kim’s! She basically forced me to pick out the paper…Kurt, AJ and I went to Robert’s and I himmed and hawed over several different patterns, then I finally went with a grouping of papers that all had the same color scheme and some embellishments to match. I then went up to Kim’s and pleaded for her help. It took us one night to pick the pictures we wanted to use and get the writing printed off on the paper. The next night Wakely and Drew had invited the girl cousins over for a sleepover. I took all the girls and AJ to a park and out for ice cream while Kim perfected the layouts for the profile. Later that night I tried as best as I could to copy the pages she had done. (We need to turn in 3 copies of the same profile, one for the birth mom, one for the agency and one to be given back to us when we get our baby.) I didn’t leave until about midnight, but I left with all but the last page completely done, we decided to use different photos so I had to print them at Costco the next day and then finish up. When I turned it in, the social workers gushed over it. They commented on how well our last profile showed and this one looks just as good! THANK YOU KIM!!!!

Homework for the teacher

As part of winning teacher of the year for my school district, I had to fulfill the requirements for the state teacher of the year. As part of the process I had a 10 page packet I had to fill out, over half of the pages were essay questions to answer. UGH! I also had to have “letters of support” from different people. I admit those where kind of fun for 2 reasons #1 I didn’t have to write them. :) #2 it was fun to read what others think are my strengths in being a teacher. I am very pleased to say I got it all done and mailed off to the state before the deadline! YEAH!!! Thanks to Teresa for editing and Jeanette the public relations person from the district for going over it with a fine tooth comb!

First Haircut

AJ had his first haircut on July 14th, Pam cut it for him. He was much more interested in trying to grab the scissors than he was in getting his haircut; I had to hold his head for awhile. Kurt said he could go to with him to reserves now because his hair is off his ears. :)

When we walked into Cabela’s in Sidney NE the greeter said, “Oh what a cute little girl.” In the humid weather AJ had little curls all around the back of his head. The curls are gone, there is now no mistaking…he’s a boy!

I'm one, I don't need it anymore!

Kurt and I decided to take the bottle away from AJ when we got back home from our trip. Our logic was he would be so happy to be home if we just didn’t give it to him anymore he wouldn’t miss it much. Kurt had a little slip and gave him a bottle of juice the night we got back, but since then we hadn’t given him a bottle. Although he has not been feeling very well, he contacted some type of viral infection the last few days of our vacation and just hasn’t been feeling up to snuff. On Friday night I thought we maybe better give in and give him a bottle to make sure he is getting enough fluids. Kurt agreed and fixed him a bottle. AJ refused to take it! He sure made getting off the bottle easy for us! Thanks AJ!

JCH Strikes Again!

This year for the JCH family reunion, Linda and her family rented the bowling alley up at WSU for two hours. Good times had by all! AJ helped me bowl and we hit one pin (using bumpersJ) AJ helped his Dad bowl and they got a strike (without bumpers)!

There were lots of delectable treats as always! Jaylene brought her marvelous marshmallow brownies, Teresa brought a jiggly jell-o salad with raspberries from her garden, Sallie brought her luscious lemon cake, Mom brought her scrumptious shrimp macaroni salad, I brought a beautiful broccoli slaw salad, Kim brought fun fruit roll-ups. Guess what was the biggest hit with the kids? You got it the fruit roll-ups!

Roadtrip!

We drove from Ogden, Utah to Washington DC and back and had a GREAT time! A few highlights… seeing AJ comfortable in his new car seat, he looks like he’s in his very own Lazy Boy. Meeting up with Cindy Bowcut Floyd and her family in Tipp City OH while Kurt was in his class, we had a great visit! We borrowed mom and Dad Hislop’s GPS and it was great fun to use! I got on and off 3 different freeways and onto the right freeway going through Indiana while Kurt was asleep thanks to that little toy! We had a trip to Children’s Medical Center in Dayton OH for AJ, he had a severe ear infection in both ears. ***Note to self remember insurance cards next time. Driving to Kentucky to go to a keg party, Staying with Linnea Cottam DelHoyo and her family in Leesburg VA , playing BANG and watching Star Wars and of course going for pedicures! AJ celebrating his first birthday in VA, Getting family pictures and AJ’s picture taken by Jason, AJ riding a train (metro) for the first time. Visiting the sights in DC and relishing in all of the history. Buying kettle corn at a roadside stand in VA, Seeing a live reenactment of the civil war in Gettysburg PA, Staying in Base Lodging (the price’s can’t be beat!), Going to the National Museum of the Unites States Air Force in OH, Staying overnight with Cindy’s family on the way back and discovering long lost friends on Facebook (No, I do not have a page, but I searched using Cindy’s :)) and talking to her mom and dad using Skype, Driving to Indiana and surprising Lillie, AJ’s first time in a swimming pool, Finding a restaurant Kurt had found online called Whiskey Creek Firewood Grill and having some good eats, Stopping in Far West NE and seeing the church historical sites, Singing songs and Hislop family sayings, Stopping in Sydney NE to go to Cabela’s World Headquarters, Relishing in watching AJ push anything he could so he could walk (In DC he pushed the stroller and it looked like he was pushing a handcart :) In OH I bet he walked at least ¼ of a mile pushing the stroller around the museum and in NE the people at Cabela’s loved watching him push the cart around the store) and last but certainly not least spending almost 3 weeks traveling together as the Gibson Family. (Those Gibson’s are quite an amazing group! :)) It was an incredible vacation thanks to fantastic friends!