8.31.2007

reasons why i like living here... and the rock

since we live so far away from family and dear friends, sometimes it is difficult to find redeeming qualities of living here in o. but today i decided i would think positively and embrace our location. so here is the list i concocted while walking to the post office.

- the post office, library, bank, dmv, countless thrift stores and the grocery store are all within walking distance
- the zoo is less than two miles away,which we now go to at least twice a week
- the interstate is less than one mile away
- the people are friendly, and interesting (which is sometimes a negative!!)
- cornhusker football games are really fun to go to
- there are at least five fabric shops that i have to choose from
- there is always a garage sale nearby
- if you want to buy a car, there are jillions of dealers around
- there are lots of bookstores, coffee shops, movie theaters (discount ones are especially wonderful) malls, antique shops and other cool places to go

o would actually be a really great place to live, if only our entire family wasn't in illinois!

the rock
every time we go outside, even if it is just to get in the car, finn will pick up a little landscape rock and carry it around. he tries to smuggle them into the car, or into the house. he will hold on so tight, as if it were a precious gem, and will burst into tears if you take it away (which always happens). before we left for the PO today he picked up a rock. he held onto it all the way there. he held onto it all the way back. he held onto it for the fifteen minutes after the walk during which he was playing outside. not even letting go to re-tighten his grip, just a steady hold for almost an hour. if he falls, he does not let go of the rock so he has a hand to help break the fall... no, he will break his fall with the back of his hand instead! i don't know where this obsession has come from, but it is unbelievable and quite strange. what are strange things that your kids do?

8.29.2007



my sister-in-law, caron, introduced me to hits some time ago. i liked them. they were good. i was at world market last week and decided to pick some up. and now i LOVE them. finn loves them too. they are the perfect combo of sweet and crackery. yum.

i decided to change the blog up a little today... it is a cloudy, cool day in nebraska. maybe that's why i chose gray for the new color. but it needed some updating, so update i did.



other blog-worthy items:
- finn is getting a load of teeth, like FIVE. this explains the runny nose
- i cleaned the entire house plus four loads of laundry on monday
- the house on the corner finally cut their prairie-grass lawn
- caitlyn (sis-in-law) leaves for indiana wesleyan university on thursday
- caron ja annie vi and henpen move into their house in hanna this week/end
- the repaving of 24th street is finally done which means traffic on our street will go back to normal.

and that's a wrap.

8.28.2007

fun with water






finn really likes water. at least he did on sunday. he was giggling up a storm! and yes, he is wearing pajamas at 4pm in the afternoon - it was just one of those days.









8.27.2007

chugga chugga choo chooo




finn likes things that go.

8.23.2007

hehe


for those of you who don't get over to whocares, here is a pic of finn... we enjoyed some photo editing while taking cover in our basement closet from monday night's storm. the electricity went out, and the computer screen made for a perfect lantern.

8.20.2007

my bestest pals/ my habit

these are my very favorite people on earth



my habit

i have this habit of moving things around the house. i think it is a positive thing, because, in doing so, i am making more efficient use of space, or putting things were they belong more appropriately. justin thinks this is a bad habit because he can never find things.

last night justin came to the conclusion that finn takes after me in this way. he is always moving his toys around the house, putting them away in different spots. i suspect this is because he thinks these new places are better places for his toys (the shoe locker by the door, the blanket basket, sometimes even the drawers under the tv, his dresser, just wherever his toys fit the best). this is not funny for our dog, rudy, whose bones and toys will also end up in random, unreachable places throughout the house. i suppose she feels toward finn the way justin feels towards me, in regard to this habit.

oh well. it just proves that finn really did come from me, and you are more like your parents than you think, even if you are only one and a half.

8.16.2007

longest post ever

the trip:

we had a great time. we drove through CRAZY storms both ways. we spent 18 hours in the car total (well, i did.)
we got into hanna around midnight last wednesday. we weren't planning to leave until thursday mid morning, but it worked out better this way. we left finn with justin's folks thursday night and went to the quad cities for a rehearsal and dinner for the wedding justin was in on friday (our dear friend paul from college!!) it was great fun as we were able to see many friends from iwu. i traveled back to hanna that night and left justin to spend the night with his pals. friday was great fun, watching finn play with his girlie cousins. friday afternoon, finn and i left for the quad cities AGAIN, for the wedding that night. finn was a gem. the wedding was outdoors and beautiful! the three of us returned to hanna that night, to the rest of the easley family. fun fun! the boys went paintballing saturday morning, and the gals got to go out in the afternoon for some relaxing time at borders. many board games were played, meals prepared, children spanked (haha, just kidding, they were all really good!!) it was a great weekend, not to mention the last time ALL easleys will cram in!! ja and caron are moving just down the road from justin's parents, so i doubt they will stay the night when everyone else is in town! we made it home sunday, with an exciting second half of the trip - crazy rain, we were going less than 30 MPH on i-80 for awhile!!









monday:

on monday, we got a last minute visit from one of my very best friends from high school, sarah p. she was on her way back to illinois from colorado and stayed the night. it was so wonderful to see her and hear all about what is going on in her life. finn loved her, and her cell phone!
also on monday afternoon, it was discovered that finn and i had gotten colds. boo. we are both little sicklies now. the kleenexes are flying and infants tylenol and cold medicine is being devoured. (sorry the pic is blurry!)



tuesday/wednesday:

i feel like something important happened on these days but now i can't remember. we probably just sat around being pathetic sick people.

today:

we had to get out of our germ infested home. we went to target/mall. i found the CUTEST shirt ever at babygap for $8. it says "homerun king" on it. i just couldn't resist, it looked too cute on finn (yes, i actually made him try it on!!)













i also got a new hair iron, i have had really bad luck with hair styling products over the last few months - this after using my hair dryer and iron from high school all the way until this spring (that's over SEVEN years folks).

i also signed up to become a mystery shopper on several websites. hopefully they will contact me and i can bring in some extra cashola. i will let you know what happens.
and finally, i have in mind to have a garage sale soon. the sooner i do it, the better, otherwise, i will give in and just take everything to the goodwill. i just can't stand having stuff sitting in a pile in the basement!

this is a long post - but it makes up for the lack of posting in recent days. and THAT is what has been going on.


8.08.2007

the final countdown (i wish i could play theme music here)

well, we are leaving for illinois, sometime in the next 24 hours. it will be a miracle if everything gets pulled off smoothly.

things to do before we leave:
- finish gifts and cards
- sew button on and iron my dress (which i haven't worn since may because of said missing button)
- iron clothes for justin/finn
- put together all of the things i have meaning to give to people back home
- take a shower :)
- finn needs a bath
- clean the bathroom for our house sitter, assuming we will have one by the end of the day
- make a list of all of the things i know i'll forget (i.e. finn's booster seat and monkey, camera, etc.)

all of that on top of regular day activities. :) we will overcome!!

8.06.2007

momma and finn