Bye-Bye Cement Truck!

Well after just about two weeks, our cement truck is finally gone! Yipee! Monday night, out of the blue, the same father and son team (Lauren saw them drop off the truck originally) pulled up to our home in this dump truck. Within four or five minutes they were gone! I'm puzzled...What is the purpose of stowing a junked cement truck in a residential neighborhood, then picking it up again in two week's time? I can't come up with anything in the legal realm of possibilities! Just in case...I took me some pictures! That's right, evidence baby!

"Oh yes, here's where we left it!"

"Just going to hook this puppy up to my dump truck now."

"Do, do-do, do-do...There we go."

"And we're off, son! Nothing to see here, folks! We'll just drive through Springville acting like nothing wierd is happening." I wonder if their journey is going to wind them up in jail!

Cal

What a cute little guy I've got. He is so much fun to have around! I love having a boy. There's just something about little boys...anyway. Last week he brought home a prize from the treasure chest at school. He earned points or tickets all week for good behavior, etc. At the end of the week you can "buy" things from the treasure box. I saw him as he got off the bus with something green and shinny. I was trying to figure out what upcoming holiday this art project was for. He was so proud to show me what he bought. He said it was the second most expensive thing there. I asked him what it was and he couldn't tell me, but he liked it. I think it is a center piece or something. What a funny thing to have in a second grade treasure box! Right? We'll be really festive for St. Patrick's day--I don't think I have any decorations for that holiday, yet.

Nice choice, Calvin. Don't mess with a big pencil, sports erasers, or candy--go for the centerpiece!

Isn't it lovely? Just the thing the keep the journey bright!

I Wanna Dance

A funny thing happened this morning as we were getting ready for church. Lindsay is usually the first one ready--she's pretty easy. She usually showers with one of us and someone else dresses her. So while the rest of the family was getting ready, she was up in the play room cooking for her baby. I had just turned on some pretty Sunday music when I hear some scuffling noises Just as I'm wondering what that is, I realize, it's Lindsay hurrying down the stairs and saying, "I wanna dance!" In she comes to the front room and spins and spins! This is her typical Sunday morning routine. She loves to dance to the pretty music.

Here she is in action! How is it that little kids can spin forever without getting dizzy?

Here's an interesting look she put together earlier this week. I was impressed that she could put those long socks on all by herself! She loves to wear my shoes around the house. (Notice the Pull-ups? We don't usually go without pants in our house, but remember, we are potty training! You gotta keep an eye on the disappearing design on the front of the Pull-ups.)

Lindsay-Babba! We can't give Lindsay credit for this, this was the brain child of Lauren!

Just another window into the fun little things along our journey.

Update on the cement truck

So we finally got the police to come check out the cement mixer. They think it will take about a week for the investigation, then maybe they will tow it away? Jeff has been threatening to tow it to the police station. I guess it was messing with the aesthetics of our view. Interestingly though, he found an article in the Daily Herald... http://www.heraldextra.com/content/view/277634/3/ maybe this has something to do with our cement mixer? Just call Jeff Inspector Gadget! The journey takes a dicey turn!

Potty Training...Still

I am in the midst of this potty training ordeal and wonder why I started this. She'll hold it and hold it and then after an hour (or more) of sitting on the potty, she'll finally go. (Oh, I forgot to mention, it's usually accompanied by crying--Lindsay's, although I've been close.) We'll put her panties or Pull-ups on and then just a little bit later, she's gone again--in her pants. Yesterday she was at the kitchen table with Lauren, I was getting dinner together and I hear, "I'm going on the chair, Mom." I say, "Good." Then I turn to look and realize what she is saying...pee pee is soaking into our dinning room upholstered chair and dripping onto the floor! Ugggh! She'd just gone 1/2 hour before! It isn't really affective to make them just sit on the potty all day, is it? I am just about there.

Now I need to amend, because in the midst of typing this entry, Lindsay just tried to go potty and after about two minutes, she went! No crying...no protests! Yes! Now I'm hopeful again. Thank goodness! How wishy-washy am I? This reminds me of childbirth and the way we forget how painful it is. All it takes is for our cute kids do something awesome and it seems like it's not so bad. (Please don't think I'm comparing potty training to childbirth--I know childbirth is more painful, but don't you agree that when you're in the midst of potty training it can seem pretty bad?) Enough! This is going to be a good day along the journey, with enough success to keep us optimistic!

Anyone missing a cement truck?

So...I guess we are the proud owners of a lovely cement truck! Apparently someone thinks we wouldn't notice a huge piece of construction equipment left in front of our house. About a week and a half ago, early in the morning, this monstrosity was towed to this spot right across from our driveway and left. At first I thought it probably had engine trouble and someone would be by soon to repair it. But upon closer inspection, it looks like it's been stolen, scrapped for parts and abandoned. The real problem is, we've called the police three times now and they haven't come by to check it out yet. So it's quickly becoming our problem. How do you dispose of a couple of tons of cement truck? Can you sell it, junk it, tow it? We are open to suggestions! I'm about to "Get Gephardt!" Otherwise--we may have a new planter box! The journey is always full of suprises!

Potty Training

Need I say more! We are trying to potty train. I tried earlier this summer, I figured I have all these helpers home... I even tried to hire Alli to train Lindsay for me. Alli thought that sounded great until about 2 hours into it. She said $20 wasn't worth it. After one day and six wet panties, I decided it might be better to train her when everyone was back at school and it was just the two of us.

Soo...this Sunday at lunch, Lindsay got this concentrating look on her face. I asked her if she wanted to go potty (of course I expected her to say no) she said yes! So I hurried her to the potty and she went "stinky poo" right away! (Sorry about the potty talk, but after all...) I thought to myself, "well, 'stinky poo' is the hardest part about potty training. Maybe she's ready." After her nap she went "pee pee," so it seemed like we were on our way. But that was about it for Sunday, although we had a few setbacks, we had high hopes for the next day. But the next day wasn't so successful, of coarse it was Labor Day, lots of people around and stuff to do. So we tried again yesterday and we were barely successful--one time in the potty. The rest in the panties and then in the pull-ups. (I know they do better in panties, but I got tired of the idea of cleaning up after her.)

Today she has been sitting on the potty all morning. She has yet to go! I think she is good at holding it, just not quite ready to let go on command. She keeps shuffling in to me (with her pull-ups around her ankles) to show me something or tell me she did it, when she didn't! Now she's watching Play House Disney with a sippy cup of juice sitting on her potty. I'm hoping her bladder will just get too full to hold it any more, and we can move on to bath time and getting dressed!

I'm at the stage where I'm wondering what I was thinking ... diapers are a wonderful discovery... they are so convenient! I can take Lindsay with me wherever I need to go, for as long as I need--no running to find a potty! Am I crazy? It's starting to feel a little that way. This is the part of the journey where you tell yourself to just keep going...keep going...it will pay off soon! Or else you just buy a jumbo box of diapers and try again a little closer to kindergarten!