Back from the Dead

Wow. I think I reached an all-time high for days without blogging! I have my excuses, most of which are valid (in my opinion). For one, our family only has one lap top (aren't we deprived? - please feel the sarcasm), and Chris uses that every day at school. So, that leaves me with after-work hours, which by the time supper is done and the boys are in bed, is about 8:00. I am sorry, but I usually don't feel like blogging! Another, more recent, excuse (this one NOT so valid) is that I've been wanting to change my crazy fall-colored template, and the thought of finding the website I used before and going through all the rigmarole was just too overwhelming to me. And last time I changed the template, I had to re-do all of my links and stuff. So, that is typical my MO when I am overwhelmed about something: avoid it! (I finally just changed the template to a standard, unexciting blogger template, though I kinda like the simplicity of it.)

But, I really do enjoying writing and blogging and sharing with you things that are going on with us. So, I'm back, and I'm going to try to blog once a week. (Cross your fingers.) I am going to try to make this my Saturday thang.

So, how are we doing? Great! Especially today when the current temperature is 56 degrees! Woohoo! I have some windows cracked open, and the feeling of fresh air in the house in wonderful. Chris and Luke are at a park after going to the library, and Simon is taking his afternoon nap. I also have silence! Peace and quiet. Aaaaahhh.

Simon was 14 months old last week! Wow. His antics just keep getting more funny, more naughty and more dangerous! He really is running and also enjoys climbing on anything possible. He thinks he's the big man around town when he gets up onto one of our little chairs or stands up on Luke's stool so he can get stuff off of the table. I think I am on the way to successfully training him NOT to stand on chairs, though every once in a while he still will stand up, smile from ear to ear and look at me, waiting for me to notice. He is fiercely independent and doesn't handle disappointment very well. He finally is enjoying little things that most babies have done for months - like waving goodbye (while shouting "BAH!" very loudly) and clapping his hands. If he doesn't have pants on, he likes to sit down and clap his hands and pat his lap. But only if he has bare legs so he hears the noise. He still only has the six teeth that he cut months ago - 4 on top and 2 on bottom. And he still loves his bottles for milk. He drinks water or diluted juice from a sippy cup, but walk around like he's a dying turtle if it's been too long and it's time for his milk. I don't care. He won't be a baby forever. He still loves his brother and any other kids that we're around. It's so cute because he just loves to get right in the middle of what everyone is doing. And if you've seen him walk/run, you know that he's got the cutest little gait. He sort of prances around. Simon is so smiley, so charming, so irresistibly adorable. He provides many laughs, which is good because he isn't so charming in the night-time sleeping department. But, I'm trying to keep this post upbeat, so we won't go there. :)

Luke is growing up before my very eyes, and I don't even think I really realize it. A week and a half ago, he was tested at a nearby school we're interested in. I have many conflicted thoughts and feelings about the whole school issue; I think I'll leave that for another post. Luke was promoted to a new class at church, so he is now in a much older setting and is loving it. He comes home with the greatest papers - things that we can read and review together throughout the week. He's been very much into coloring lately and is working on several projects for some very lucky grandmas and aunties. :) Our family got a Wii from Chris' parents for Christmas, so that is another fun thing that Luke loves to do. He has gotten pretty good at tennis, and last time I played, he beat me! He also loves playing with his friends. Between play dates, date nights, Bible Study and now Small Group, he leads a pretty active social life and gets to play with friends often. And Luke continues to be my sweet little side-kick, helping me with various organizing projects or doing WiiFit with me. He exasperates me with his nonchalance about wetting his pants or staying in his own bed at night, but like I said before, he won't be little forever (and again, I'm trying to keep this post upbeat, so we won't go there).

I am doing well. My big project right now is whipping my dupa into gear! (If you don't know my family, then you should know that "dupa" means "butt" in Polish. I think.) I didn't make any official New Year's resolutions, but have been prayerfully working on establishing more disciplined habits in my life. My new WiiFit that I got for Christmas gave me a jump-start on being healthy and losing some weight, and some great sermons that our pastor has been preaching on being resolute have also been a source of encouragement and inspiration. I love working on having a more organized home too; and with a small place, it's a constant game of organizing and re-organizing things, finding the exact best place for them. I think it would be a dream come true for me to have everything in my closets in clear, plastic bins! Maybe someday.

At Christmastime, Chris was half-way through the PhD program at Wheaton! Yay!!! He seems to be in good shape to graduate in the spring of 2010, and he is still really enjoying his studies and the program at Wheaton. He has less classes and seminars this semester but is always busy. He is still disciplined and diligent and is rarely stressed out. I am blessed by that! He also is continuing to enjoy running and is currently looking for a good race to run in. He was bummed that he had a scheduling conflict the weekend of the KY Derby Half Marathon. We'll have to find another excuse to go see Scott and April! :) He was particularly stoked today when he got to run outside in 50 degree weather! He is not as tolerant of the mid-west's extreme winters as I am and is especially grumpy on mornings that he can't run outside.

And there you go! That is how we're all doing. Fine and dandy, really. We were gone for a while around the holidays and have enjoyed being home for a good 3 weeks now, though we always miss our family. Come visit us!!!

PS. I just threw in some random pics from the last few weeks for interested family to enjoy.