The other side of the fence?

What is that like?

I think for the most part it's human nature....to wonder about other people.  What's their lives really like; past what you see in public.  For instance, yesterday there was a young couple, younger than us, with 3 young children, talking about their nanny.  They drove up in a huge, decked out SUV complete with sunroof and everything.  How does such a young couple afford all of this?  I see other families on the internet with pictures of their kids in front of these beautiful houses.  How does everyone afford this?  Then, you watch one of Oprah's Debt Diet features and it's all about couples with 2, maybe 3 kids, who make $80,000+/year and are $80,000+ in credit card debt.  That's over $10,000/year more than we make and we're not doing great, but we're thankful to not be in credit card debt at all.  Wow, what we couldn't do with an extra $800/month additional income!

It's these things that make me wonder....could we have more (material things) or is most of America in this kind of debt Oprah talks about. 

It gets harder as your children get older and start to recognize that you don't always have the things other families have, go to the places they go and do the things they do.  Definitely not on any sort of a regular basis.  At the same time, I'm proud that we're teaching our children priority and what's truly important in life.  Being together, only doing what you have the means to do and save to do.  At the same time it's right up in our face, everywhere we go, that a lot of people have a lot more.  I'd say we're right in the middle and we're very thankful for that.  One life changing event and it could totally go the negative way and while we try to be prepared it's impossible to prepare for everything.

Just some random thoughts this morning.

Amazing baby

Total mom brag right here.  Get your mom brag!I know it helps to have 3 older siblings who talk non-stop, but Chelsi just turned 20 months and talks unbelievably well! Even her daycare providers can't believe how much she talks and how well. Our oldest was an unbelievable talker (still is) and I think she beats him out. 

She says pretty much anything she wants. The other day she told Brian, clear as day "I want candy". She knows where the old Easter candy is and thought she should have some. 

She's really great at saying "hey, stop". Daddy has been trying to teach her to say "stop please". So Cole was bugging her after church this morning and she said "stop pease Co". Her newest word is 'granpa'. She calls my mom and my stepdad that. No distinguishing between the two, they're both 'granpa'. So everyday since Memorial Day (when they spent the day with us she talks about nothing but 'granpa'. Friday the girls needed to be picked up early from daycare so my stepdad did this for us since he had the boys anyways and Chelsi knew he was coming for her. All we heard when we asked if she was going to Pam's was "I want granpa now". "Now" is another favorite word.

And do not say a number between 1 and 5. She loves to count, so if you say a number she begins to count from that point. She can only count to 5, but she thinks it's funny when I keep counting to 10 and then she claps for me when I say 10.

She LOVES to sing too. People who don't know her can't always necessarily tell by the words, but they can by the melody. She can sing at least 5 songs including the alphabet song (the letters kind of run together), the "I love you" song from Barney (and no I don't condone Barney or allow it in my house so it must be at the sitters) and "Twinkle Twinkle".

We get such a kick out of this girl. She so funny and smart. She has one of the best personalities. I never would have thought that when she came home. Heck I never would have thought that for the first 9 months. She's a different kid.

I'm really not trying to brag, but sometimes I'm just in awe. She was a 30 week premie and no one would ever know any way, shape or form.

And most people’s kids don’t want to brush

Yep....that's what I hear from friends.  Their kids don't like to brush their teeth.  Even the littlest ones.  Well, ours sneaks in and hides to brush hers.

Here's when I first caught her.



Then she quickly posed.



Then back to the deed.

Yet another picture of Chelsi sleeping.

Our daughter can fall asleep anywhere! I swear she'd only been sitting in the chair for maybe 5 minutes.  I was finishing up the floors and the next thing I knew the chair was fully laid back.  How it didn't tip I have no idea.  She would wake for a second and the chair back would pop straight up and she'd go back to sleep and it would slowly go back again.  After that little 5 minute cat nap she wouldn't hardly go back to bed for her afternoon nap.  She said 'granpa' over and over again until she fell asleep.  BTW, that's what she calls grandma and grandpa.  Except lately it's been "I want granpa now".  For a not quite 2 year old she speaks in very demanding sentences.  :)

Our Memorial Day Weekend

It may have rained on our little barbeque with the family, but the younger ones had a great time playing in the rain.

The boys played basketball in the rain while Kae danced in the rain.  Yeah, they were able to swim for a little bit (hence the swimsuit), but they got a little cold in there.

 

Not a whole lot of sun, but plenty of fun!

More swimmin'!!!!!

 

The pool’s up and the water’s warming.

It that time of year.  Last year we hadn't even bought the pool until the very end of June, but this year we already have it up so the water will warm.  Well, someone couldn't wait to try it out so she got in tonight.  Her teeth were chattering and her body was  shaking, but she insisted she was NOT cold.  :)  Chelsi, on the other-hand, didn't want in the water, but was happy running around in her swimsuit chasing her Kitty.