Caleb Turns SEVEN!

I can't believe Caleb is already seven years old. His birthday weekend was a lot of fun. We spread it out over the course of a few days because Carl had to be gone on Caleb's actual birthday for a scout trip. Anyway, Caleb didn't mind.

We had a little "surprise" party for him on the actual day. I got him off the bus at Mary's (our babysitter) house and all the kids were there to celebrate!

She even got him a present. He got his very own gumball machine.

I can't tell you how excited he was about that.

Here are seven interesting things about Caleb:

1. He loves to "Google". He especially like searching for Mario Kart.

2. Caleb is really growing. He wears size 10/12 clothes and a men's size 5 shoe.

3. His favorite song at the moment is Primrose Lane (thanks to Lawrence Welk).

4. He is an expert speller and reader. We're still working on his comprehension but he can read just about anything you put in front of him.

5. Caleb will eat pizza, ice cream and granola bars (sunbelt chocolate chip) all day and all night if we let him. I'm contemplating a refrigerator with a padlock.

6. He loves to draw pictures of people. Some of his favorite subjects are The Fresh Beat Band and his family.

7. He's got a smile that will make you melt.

We love you, Caleb!

Caleb Turns SEVEN!

http://craftyconservative.blogspot.com/2010/02/caleb-turns-seven.html

MIA

This may have been the longest I've ever gone without posting on this blog. I just feel like I've never been so busy in all my life. I don't have time to keep up with this site as much anymore. It's a shame, really. It will never completely go away. I'll still update it now and again. I wouldn't want to leave Gayla* without anything to do all day besides chew tobacco and sit on her porch with her gun. So, I'll leave it at that.

If you want to know what I've been up to...I'll need you to check out ChristyNelson.net. It involves cake, lost of crafts, and Mark Montano.

MIA

http://craftyconservative.blogspot.com/2010/01/mia.html

One of a Kind

I'm pretty sure my son is the only little kid in the whole world that has ever uttered this phrase:

Mom, I just want to look like Ava Barber!*

They sure like their Lawrence Welk. Here you can catch a glimpse of the kids watching an episode when we were getting our new TV ready to put on the wall.

*He wanted his yarn "hair" to look like her.

One of a Kind

http://craftyconservative.blogspot.com/2010/01/one-of-kind.html

Going Back to 2002

I consider myself pretty geeky. I love the internet, blogging and all of my social media stuff. One thing I don't do is text. Not my thing. It's only in the past year or two that I've actually started using my cellphone more than my home phone. Texting just seemed silly when I hardly used my phone and I was always near a computer for email. But now I'm not at home as much. I'm too cheap to pay for a data plan on my cell so I can't check my email on the go. I do have an iPod Touch so I can check it if I have wi-fi. HOWEVER....I'm heading to a trade show at the end of the month with 3 of my business partners. I have a feeling that texting is going to be the best way for me to keep in contact with them during the show as we work. We won't be together most of the time so I think it is time to bite the bullet and get a messaging plan.

Here's my question: will 200 texts a month be enough or do I "splurge" and pay $20 for unlimited?

Going Back to 2002

http://craftyconservative.blogspot.com/2010/01/going-back-to-2002.html

Snowed In

We spent most of the holiday at home. Like most everyone else living in the middle of the country, we got a fair amount of snow. The kids loved it! By the 26th of December, we had just over 24 inches of snow. I couldn't believe it when it started to cover the bottoms of the swings.

Eva and one of our neighbor girls tried it out. They could sit on them but not swing because the snow was so packed underneath. Fun times.

It was nice spending the holiday at home with nowhere that we really needed to go.

The other thing that happened over the holiday? I got my gallbladder out. I spent New Year's Eve in the hospital. I thought I would be a bit further along in my recovery by now but I'm still pretty much stuck in my room most of the day. I'm in a lot of pain but I'm catching up on a lot of tv. Did you know that All My Children is celebrating its 40th anniversary this week? Noah Wylie also suggests that we spend $16 a month to save the polar bears. I'm not buying it. I thought I might have to get the InStyler and SkinID but then I saw Hoarders and realized...I'm good.

Snowed In

http://craftyconservative.blogspot.com/2010/01/snowed-in.html

I Resolve...

to not have a gallbladder in 2010.

Farewell, non vital organ.

I Resolve...

http://craftyconservative.blogspot.com/2009/12/i-resolve.html

Christmas 2009

Here is the only "Christmas morning" experience we had this year. It happened at 2am. I'm glad I have this video or I may not have survived Christmas this year at all. When the kids got us up at 7am, we went downstairs to utter destruction. Every present that was under the tree was unwrapped (including ones for me and Carl). Most of the boxes containing those items had been ripped to shreds. Caleb is the only one strong enough to do that. Eva said she didn't do it...she was "just watching". Either way, they both got sent to bed as soon as we got up.

I considered re-wrapping the presents and having them open them again the next day. I also considered taking away all the presents for good. Instead we cleaned up the mess, opened our own stockings (the only things left unharmed), and went upstairs to play a game and chill out. By the time Caleb woke up from his nap, I was a little more calm and I just let them play with their stuff.

Santa's going to have to rethink his strategy for next year, that's for sure.

Christmas 2009

http://craftyconservative.blogspot.com/2009/12/christmas-2009.html