Summer time! LONG update about us to jump start the summer:)

Now that school is out for the summer, my hope is to get back on the wagon with this blog! My posts have been so sporadic, I will try to play catch up. My hope is that this post will be the fresh start of summer blogging. :)

What we've been up to:
Joe has been working the outage at Wolf Creek since the beginning of March. If you don't know what the outage is, no need to, just know that it sucks--in more ways than one! Poor Joe is at work by 6 (at the latest) and gets home every night around 7:30. There is really no end in sight, the completion date has been moved back to June 3rd, which means nothing to anyone because it's been moved back multiple times already. We have been "done" with the outage for quite some time now...it's really wearing on everyone involved! Another wife referred to herself as a Wolf Creek widow and that's just how I feel! Anyhow--no more whining--we are blessed that he has a secure job with benefits, etc. We are just reeeeally looking forward to the end of it!

Sydney is playing the part of 3 year old just perfectly. We have the wonderful, imaginative stories--we have the loves and snuggles--and we have the slamming doors, stomping, pouting, and shouting---among other things. :) She has always loved to read books and has memorized many of her favorites. The other night however, she shocked Joe and I by reading the entire Disney Princess Bride book on her own. We pointed to the words (and while I do realize it is all memorization at this point, I figure it doesn't hurt to direct her attention to the words!) She was so proud of herself! She loves playing dress-up and playing "Moms and Dads." No one else has the chance to play Mom--that is always, strictly, her role. She plays it well too. :) It's an opportunity for me to just sit back and realize that she really does listen to what I say, even when she is pitching a fit!

Gavin--oh Gavin. He is the extreme opposite of his big sister. I am so thankful that I get to experience having a little girl and a little boy because I am amazed every day at just how different they are. It has been so exciting to see what Gavin picks up on and to see firsthand the truth behind the saying "he is all boy." Because he definitely is! His motor starts going when he sees his car/tractor/truck and even the other day he heard Sydney say the word "tractor" and he started making the noise! He would rather launch things across the room than look at a book--if he does look at a book it is while he is walking past us reading. He loves destroying block towers, lego creations, book shelves, my bread cabinets in the kitchen, you name it. If it's in order he will shake things up. :) He is still a little lovebug and will just randomly walk over and give a snuggle, but it is short lived, so I take what I can get!

Me--well I am just glad that I now have no set routine, no mornings that are rushed. My babies can sleep in if they want or be up with the birds if they want! I can enjoy my morning coffee at my leisure and have another cup if I want to. :) I also have a few new goals for myself this summer. For the past several months I have been exercising and just trying to be healthier overall. I started in January exercising every day and using the website http://www.myfitnesspal.com to track my calories and exercise and reached my goal weight last month. Knowing that I had accomplished that goal I felt the need to challenge myself again--how? I am still kind of unsure, but I am seriously considering beginning a running program. Currently I am doing another little fitness challenge using a video of Jillian Michaels called "Ripped in 30." I can't wait until I know the moves well enough that I can mute her and just listen to my Pandora stations while I exercise. :) It's been a great journey and it is a huge ego boost to know that I (finally) put my mind to something and was successful!

With all of that said....I am hoping to update a lot more this summer! It should be a bit more eventful than last summer. :) Here are a few recent pictures of the kids!

One morning Sydney wanted to hold her little brother--lucky for her he had just started drinking his bottle so he was more willing to sit still with her!
Sydney and Gavin at Aunt Deanna and Uncle Jim's farm