So here's what life has been dishing us lately.
Natalie: Pretty much has peeing down in terms of potty training. The other..not so much. But she does try. She's been really good at school and has been coming home in her same clothes!!! She really enjoyed the visit from Nana and Papa last week. She is talking up a storm. A few of her latest gems "Have donuts for dinner". "What happened Princess? oh no..the bad guy got her" (too much Nintendo I think) And she has a HUGE obsession with street signs and stop lights. To the point that we no longer listen to music or watch the DVD player in the car so that she can tell us "I see diamond with an octagon" (yellow sign indicating an upcoming stop sign), "Thomas/Gordon" (the cross-street and our street) and she loves to say "S-O-P Stop Stop Stop" when she sees a stop sign. I even made her a little pillow from some fabric I found with street signs. She calls it her "special pillow". She is still loving school and is going 5 days a week. She received a "Happy Note" last week because she was doing a really good job following directions, marching to the music in music class, and creative play in the little kitchen. She will go 5 days a week in the Fall as well.
Paul: Paul has been busy with work. He finished up his research with two undergraduate students at the end of July. He is writing a book for a new class he is teaching in the Fall (I'm the editor and our dear friend Troy is doing the illustrations and collaborating). He has mastered our garden and we have been getting tons of tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. He has also been mastering his Nintendo skills due to Natalie's obsession with the games lately..although he is getting sick of a few of them!
And finally me! I am currently teaching a two-week SAT enrichment class through our church. I have also been polishing up my lectures for the Fall. I will be teaching one section of College Algebra again. Today I had an injection into my sacro-iliac joint to HOPEFULLY alleviate the back pain that I have had for the last two years. The lidocaine is still wearing off but it does seem to already be working. There are a few other health issues (thought I had a kidney stone at one point) but hopefully they will be sorted out quickly as well. I have also been busy making diaper wreaths for my family and friends who are pregnant..and there are a LOT! If you are interested in one for a shower gift, let me know. I ship!! I've also been trying to tackle my sewing machine again. And after my mom, who can sew anything with her eyes clothes, couldn't get my machine to work, we realized the machine was a lemon (and confirmed it on the internet). So I got a new one this past weekend and made Natalie the pillow mentioned above. Gonna keep practicing on it and hope to one day master it.
Well, that is all for now. We are hopefully heading to CT for a visit soon. Will leave you will a few pictures of my princess..the girl who is finally getting into all things girls, like dress-up and jewelry!
These first two are a conglomeration of a princess dress from cousin Immy, a tutu from Godmama Jamie, and various "prizes" won from potty training
These last two were my tap and ballet costumes when I was about her age
