Sometimes Having a Kid is Helpful!

Most of the time, Barrett is so much like Doug it's just scary. Barrett wants to shoot things, play golf, watch Discovery Channel shows about surviving in the wild, and be outside in 100 degree heat as much as possible.


BUT, I have managed to train him to do something that Doug doesn't do. Doug might now how to do this, but I have never seen proof that he is capable.

If he could only reach the knobs, It would be perfect!

Back to Work

As of tomorrow, I am back to work.

After lengthy back and forth discussions with various leaders at my church, I was named the Director of Preschool Ministries this morning.

I am really excited about this for so many reasons, but there are two reasons that this is perfect for me.

One: I have a true passion for working with kids and watching them grow especially in their relationships with Christ. I am so thrilled to be getting to help our three, four, and five year olds start on their faith journey. It is equally exciting that Barrett will be entering the preschool program this Fall, and I'll get to see things from the parent perspective as well. Although, if I hate something, I'll have to complain to me!

Two: My part time job doesn't change the time I am with my kids at all. I will work while they are at school at the church, and I will work Sunday mornings which is nothing new to my family. I will have other responsibilities, but they are all things that I already do!

I have been wanting to "do something" for a couple of years now, and I really feel blessed that this has fallen into place.

Hopefully, I am still this excited when I actually start the job. :)

The Beast

Fisher has been out of control lately with his fits. He gets really mad and throws himself on the floor. The fits last so long that I am sure that half way through them he doesn’t even know what he is so mad about.


This morning, Doug and I were discussing what we should do when he acts like this.


Here’s the solution we came up with.


What do you think?





Maybe caging him all alone is cruel.

What about this?



Ok, before you call CPS on us, we wouldn’t really cage them. We are dogsitting, and the cage came with Gizmo.

Fisher is fascinated by the cage, and it is almost impossible to keep him out of it. When I started laughing and taking pictures, Barrett had to be a part of it.

The funniest part of it all was Gizmo watching them inside of it. He almost seemed happy to have them caged up.




I think they are wearing him out with all the love he’s gotten.

What Is Going On With the Boys?

I am too busy to look back over what I have already told you about the boys, so here is a quick recap of what they are up to. This is really more for me than you, so sorry if it’s boring.

The Biggest News:

Barrett: He is completely potty trained. I have no horror stories about it. Doug went out of town, I put him in big boy underwear. We were done. Seriously, he has had two accidents in three weeks. One was when he had the stomach bug and one was when he was in a lot of trouble. I think it’s impressive that he had a stomach bug and still only had one accident with that much poo.

Fisher: He still walks weird. The doctor wants him to see a specialist, but we are having trouble finding one that will see him at only 16 months old. A lot of people comment how “cute” his walk is. I think that is nice people talk for, “What is wrong with that kid’s legs?” The doctor actually thinks it might be his hips or it may be nothing at all and that he will grow out of. As soon as we find a pediatric orthopedic surgeon that is on our insurance and will see him, I’ll know more. For now, if you know me in real life, please don’t comment on it. Do you think I haven’t noticed??

Their Favorite Foods:

Barrett: He doesn’t eat unless it’s chicken nuggets, strawberry LaCreme yogurt, fresh fruit, peanut butter crackers, and a couple other things.

Fisher: He’s my eater, well, my vegetarian eater. He really doesn’t eat any meats. It’s fun to finally have a kid that mesmerizes people with the amount he can consume. Pretty soon, he’ll out weigh Barrett. He also still sucks down too many bottles a day, and I know I should be getting rid of those.

Their Sleep Habits:

Barrett: In bed at 9:00 if we’re lucky, up by 6 on a good day. He typically is up once a night and sometimes it is as many as 5 times. It sucks. He will nap for an hour and a half, and I am thankful for that!

Fisher: He’s ready to pass out at 8:30, but he’ll keep going full speed if you let him. He’ll sleep until anytime between 6:30 and 7 unless it’s a good day, which could be as late as 8.

Their Toys:

Barrett: He loves all things animals. He’ll play with other stuff, but if he spots a farm, Noah’s Ark, or any other animal thing, he zones in on it. He currently is obsessed with cows. Which seems harmless, but when he is quizzing me on whether a cow is a Hereford, Angus, Brahma, or whatever other kinds there are, I really wonder if the obsession is healthy for a two year old.

Fisher: Fisher wants whatever brother has. He also loves cars and balls. He pretty much wants to play with whatever we tell him is a “no no”. It’s not really a toy, but lately he always wants a “baby” with him which is actually a blanket. He has a favorite camouflage one, but he really isn’t that picky about which one he has.

Current Sayings:

Barrett: Barrett is always talking, so narrowing down what he says the most is impossible. He’s been using ridiculous, hilarious, and absolutely a lot lately. He also told a cow at Paw’s house the other day to, “Back up damn cow!”, so we’ve been working on words you say and don’t say. He now asks about every new expression he hears if it is ok to say. He has decided that “Dern it” is not ok, but saying “Dern the luck” is ok. I realize that “dern” is a replacement for “damn”, but it’s not a big freaking deal to me if he uses it. :)

Fisher: He doesn’t talk much, but he has mastered puppy, cracker, bottle, mommy, daddy, Nana, PaPa, Paw, Gigi, NeeNee, candy, night night, please, and thank you. Oh, and how could I forget, he loves the word, “mine!”

My Favorite Things:

Barrett: I love putting Barrett to bed at night. He always wants me to sit right next to his bed and sing with him. I used to always rub his head, but now he rubs my cheek while we sing. I wish that would last forever.

Fisher: He’s been grumpy a lot lately. He throws the worlds worst fits. I don’t even want to think how much worse they might get. BUT, even when he’s in a bad mood, if you tickle him, he laughs. It’s not the normal laugh. I can’t explain it, but it is the happiest laugh in the world. Doug and I have to tickle him to get the laugh, but Barrett can get him to do it pretty much whenever he wants. I hope he always laughs like this.

Ok, so I know that this is not all that interesting for most of you, but this blog is their baby book.

The boys are almost out of the bath, so I have to get the towels ready. I don’t know why Doug can’t seem to dry them off without me, but that’s a whole other story.

Quick Update

VBS is over tomorrow.

We are just 3 kids shy of 600.

I am exhausted.

I interviewed for a part-time job yesterday afternoon- I think it is happening. More on that later.

Since boys are outside with Daddy, I am going to enjoy the quiet for a moment.

I promise to have more to write when VBS ends, and I have recovered.