Almost October

September has been a crazy month. It has flown by and drug so slowly at the same time. Saying farewell to my grandmother yesterday was certainly not how I was thinking I would end September. However, being a Christian and knowing that I will certainly meet her again gets me through the tough times of missing her.

The bad thing about skipping blogging each day is that I forget what I've already written or what pictures I might have already posted.

Before the football game last Saturday, the boys got to watch the trash truck. It is a Saturday tradition, almost like we can't start off a weekend without it. Thank goodness they wait until later in the morning to arrive so we aren't having to wake up early to see it.



Today is Mr. Tarin's 2nd birthday. He's growing up so fast and soon to be a big brother, which means he'll be a middle child. Oh, how I understand his pain! :) jk.

Mr. Cub Scout

Last night, Zach had a "pinning ceremony" or something of the sort. I think it was a big deal, but I was too exhausted to try going to it AND dealing with Logan and Malachi at the same time. So, I stayed home and Shawn did the daddy thing of going and helping Zach. So far, Zach is LOVING boyscouts and of course, the most adorable little one in his outfit.


This was "seriously, mom? Another picture?"

Tonight was the respect calls for Grandma Dorothy. I was trying my hardest to explain it to the boys before we got there so they would be prepared. I just knew with how "loud" and "honest" Logan is, that we could be in for a disaster in a sad situation. After I explained that we would go see Grandma's body even though she was dead, Logan exclaimed (like a light bulb came on), "Oh, I see! So, we're going to go to heaven to visit Grandma?" Then while we were viewing her body, it was just Logan and I and as I wiped some tears away, he said, "Mommy, why did you tell her you love her?" I said, "I guess I just wanted to make sure she knew that." Then he said, "But mommy, those aren't her real ears. She's got them in heaven." I just love the "Loganisms" that keep me smiling even in sad times.

Tomorrow will be the funeral and I'm ready to be done with it. I know it is necessary, but I just hate grieving. It was comforting to see so many of my family tonight. A cousin from Seattle and one from Texas flew in. I haven't seen them in a long time. Prayers would be appreciated as we get through tomorrow. I am so thankful for the memories I have of Grandma.

K-State Weather Day to Remember

Logan and Taige went to the K-State game on Saturday with Jarin & Brendan. It was a chilly/rainy morning and the clouds at the stadium got very scary looking. Tons of pictures were floating around Facebook and the internet, but these are a few that I got (not at the stadium).

More Loganisms

I seriously can't write them all down. But here are a few recent ones:

In the silence of the car trip to church this morning, Logan exclaimed, "Mommy! We should never eat a horse because then we'll swell up and die." (That came out of NOWHERE!!!) And then he was back to normal conversation.

Friday night at the play for Brady, there was a gigantic mirror in front of a staircase. As we were coming down the stairs at the end of the play, admist probably 50+ people, Logan exclaimed loudly, "How'd those people get in there?" (meaning, in the mirror- he thought there was another staircase I think)

Missing Grandma

It wasn't long after I learned of the passing of Grandma Dorothy that I realized the date. September 23, 2010. Nothing special about the date in particular, but for me, and the 23rd, urgh! Read this post in case you haven't been following too long. September 10th, 2001 (the day before the infamous 9/11/01), Dorothy's husband of MANY years passed away. And, 4 years ago on September 22nd, my uncle Bob passed away. So many wonderful, terrific people taken from our lives too soon, yet not a moment longer than God had purposed for them. My grandmother was 94 years old. She'd had a wonderful, yet difficult at times, life. She was loved by soooo many and I'm still in the denial stage right now about her even being gone. Tuesday night at the funeral home and Wednesday for the funeral, things will become more "real" that she is gone now and in a MUCH better place, free from the pain and suffering she had endured. I just couldn't help but feel how ironic it was that the date she died just happened to be the 23rd.

On a bit of a happier/lighter note, my family went to see the Wizard of Oz play in Wamego, KS. Brady was the scarecrow and boy was he a great actor. We were very impressed and the boys loved it. I worried about it being a little too scary for them, but they understood that everyone was in character (because they knew Uncle Brady was) so they knew it was make-believe. It was a very good time, but made for a late evening and early morning. Today the weather was borderline cold, yet not gonna complain. It was beautiful. The clouds before the K-State game were amazing and there was a slight delay before K-State played and won. Logan and Taige went to the game with Jarin and Brendan. I have LOTS of pictures to share, but am exhausted tonight and headed to bed soon.

Zach is making good strides toward his goal as a popcorn seller and I do think he's been pretty polite and appreciative on his phone calls. I know he is excited about being a boy scout. I know that Shawn is excited to be a boy scout with Zachary.

Grandma Dorothy

Dear Grandma Dorothy,

I miss you. However, I know you are no longer suffering. You fought a long hard battle and its over now. You are rejoicing, free of pain, with the angels. You were an angel to those of us who knew you and loved you so very much. Your 4 kids were truly remarkable people because of the role models they had for parents.

You never did like to have your picture taken, but I always tried to squeeze one or two in each time we saw you. I knew that someday these photos would be all that remained of my precious memories of the times spent with you.

You were a master quilter, gardner, and homemaker. You made the very BEST pies and Thanksgiving was close to being my favorite holiday because of the wonderful food you made and of course the fellowship we had at your house.

My kids didn't get to know you as well as I would have liked, but I know that when they were with you, they adored you and loved you so much.

Your farm (that my sister lives at now) is beautiful and such a true representation of the person you were, quiet, behind the scenes, and most of all- beautiful!

I know I have a picture with you and me from my wedding, but for the life of me I can't find it right now.


I know my dad has so many of the values that you taught your daughter (his mom) and then she taught him. He always spoke so fondly of you and about how you were such a wonderful person in his life. Thank you!

You were an amazing great-great- grandmother. Not many people get to be that, but you definitely put the "great" in that title!



My brother adored you and visited you often. Sometimes it made me a little envious of the times he spent with you, making memories and talking about old times and the times today.

Your birthday party a few years ago seems like just the other day. You aged so well and were such an independent person.




Thank you for being the person you were in my life.


Thank you for the memories that I cherish today.



I love you more than I can write on here and know that you're up with the rest of the angels now and I'll surely see you again someday. Although I miss you terribly and the absense of you in my life is so freshly painful, I know that with time, the memories will hold precious until we see you again. May your soul rest in peace.

Love, me

Introducing. . . . .

Jooseula, Logan's sock puppet. He made it in kindergarten a few weeks ago as an incentive for filling up the class marble jar. At first, he thought "she" stunk. . . just like soap. But, he seems pretty fond of her now. When I asked if she had anything to tell me, he said, "Mommy, you're silly. Its just my hand!"

Malachi was SICK yesterday. He kept running 100-103 fever .  . . again. This happened a few weeks ago and he fought something viral then too. Thankfully, Shawn stayed home with him. I am definitely running out of days.

I came home a little early today and few asleep almost immediately. I'm just waking up and still not refreshed. Its been a good week, but a LONG week. I'm really hitting the brain fog with how exhausted I've been thinking and working. I feel like I've been productive though. Yesterday, for the first time in a VERY long time, I actually officially multi-tasked in my thinking. That was something that was so simple before I got sick and is now something I've just wished I could master again. Little by little, I'm getting there.

Zachary's allergies are trying to get the best of him. He's got a cough that sounds like a barking dog, but no fever, so we're not sure what the deal is.

My great grandma is in the process of passing. She was moved to the Topeka Hospice house yesterday and things aren't good at all. I miss my grandmas, but was very priveledged to know my great grandmothers. I'll post more on this later, but if you do pray, please pray that she is comforted and at peace. This is difficult to go through yet again with family.

State Fair 2010

I think I'm officially recovered from our state fair trip- 3 days later! We had planned to stay an entire day, but left 3 hours late (slept in) and then tuckered out fast. We still got in some great fun and sight-seeing. We didn't do the rides at all. Shawn hates them and I just hate standing in line, so maybe someday when the boys are older they will want to ride the rides.

Here is Zachary at a construction site. He has really wanted to be a construction worker when he grows up.

We met up with my cousin Anna. The boys LOVE her.

They loved the birthing center/KSU Vet building with the baby animals.


I think Logan wants a baby pig. He said, "Oh, its just like poor Wilber!"





This poor lady that held the chicks. Logan was pestering her with a million questions. Will the chick bite me? How old is it? When will it get tall? Where's its mommy? Why isn't the mommy with it? Are those its brothers? Where are the feathers? (You get the idea.)

She was very kind and gracious about the questions and also very stern with Logan's insistence about holding the baby chick.



Probably one of the funniest parts of the trip was when Zachary got bit by a goose. He's showing the blood blister bite. He still has the mark as of this morning! Shawn was pestering thos geese and Zach was just minding his own buisness following behind us. By the time Zach got by the goose's pen, it had found a hole to poke its head out. Lucky Zach! :)

Logan went into a trailer that showed what its like underground. Pretty nifty!

And then the boys wanted to try their hand at caddle herding.




I like how Malachi is looking at Logan here:

These pictures were taken in a largely populated and overly-crowded building. Good thing you can't "hear" the behind the scenes because it went something like, "No Malachi! Zachary stop it! Don't touch! I told you DON'T TOUCH!!! Where did Logan go? Shawn did you have Logan? Malachi stay here? Could you guys please look for at least one picture?"


Shawn's dream pumpkins:

Painted and decorated pumpkins:


Here again, was the "could you PLEASE look at mommy for just ONE picture????" NO don't touch! No, Logan those aren't alive. They won't hurt you. Really, Zachary, did you HAVE to do that? Okay, we got what we got. This is it."



I could swear a girl was behind me with the way he's got his eyes in their charming look.

Malachi loved the firetruck. Logan practiced dialing 9-1-1. Let's just pray that Zachary is with us if we have an emergency! Logan .. . . well, we'll keep working with him, bless his heart.

Ice cream- peanut butter- was delicious.

Overall, looking at the pictures, we did have a great time. We didn't go in the arts and crafts building because I could only imagine trying to handle all 3 through there, but maybe next time.

Zachary started Boy Scouts this past Sunday. He LOVES it. He truly does. I'm so excited for him to have an "outlet" and things to look forward to now. We have to help him sell popcorn though. I hate trying to sell things because the way the economy is and also just hassling to ask people. That's not really my type. But. . . if you are one to enjoy the Boy Scout popcorn, give me a holler: schance@hotmail.com and I'll get you hooked up. Zachary would be so excited to get some sales.