Soccer Season

Jonathan is on the blue team/in the blue hoodie. He has such a great "game face".

Jonathan and Papa Echo watching Alyssa's game.

Jessica

Alyssa is on the pink team in pink shorts.

Soccer season is in full swing at this point. We have practices and/or games almost every night of the week. (Rain, snow or shine) Both Alyssa and Jonathan are LOVING it.


Jonathan saw that friend K from his kindergarten class had an older sister on Alyssa's team. He was pretty shy and had a very cute look on his face when he pointed her out to me. Then, friend K came over to talk with Jonathan and wanted him to come sit by her. Jonathan looks up at me with his beautiful round eyes and asks if that is okay with me. And my reaction (in my head) was "There is NO WAY you're leaving me for some girl..." But of course I smiled and said "sure". He smiled and then ran to catch up with her. About ten minutes later, I was sitting with all the other parents and saw friend K run up to her mom for something. She says, "I'm sitting over there with Jonathan". And her mom says, "who's Jonathan". And friend K points to my little boy and says, "that guy over there in the dark blue shirt."

Jonathan and friend K walking to the soccer field.

So my question is, when did my sweet, innocent, wonderful, little boy become "that guy"? "That guy" makes him sound so grown up! I'm not ready. Big sigh. My kids are growing up so fast.

Happy Day, Happy Day

First of all, Papa Echo is home!!! Yeah!!!! We missed him and are so glad to have him home.

Secondly, go here to see what video is making me smile. (No, it doesn't have a thing to do with a certain group of books and movies.)

It's a very good day after all.

Happy Place

Go to this site to see where I will be all summer (in an alternate universe where I have unlimited funds and no responsibilities) and go here if you want an anti-Twilight giggle. That's it for today. I'm off to soccer practice. (Click here for the song that would be playing if I had my blog set up...)

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Maybe it's the little things that are making me happy these days, but I was able to mow my lawn for the first time this year and I was soooo happy.

We are having a quiet weekend at home because Jessica has an icky cold. (Thanks to a visit to Uncle Dave's infectious house last weekend and standing out in almost freezing weather for a soccer game that should have been canceled on Tuesday.) Whenever she complains, I tell her to drink more fluids or take a nap. She can thank my parents for the very "non-pampering style of caring for the ill" I was taught. When I was a kid, you could say that you were sick, and ask for soup, drinks, medicine, etc. and my parents would lovingly get it for you. But you could not just lay around the rest of the family and moan and whine. You were told to go rest in your room if you did that. So, I do the same thing. If there is something I can do, then I'll do it. If not, then go take a nap.

Especially right now where my nerves are fried. I have cried off and on all day for the dumbest reasons. I should not be allowed at church tomorrow where ANYTHING will set the tears off. Luckily I have hid the tears from the kids so far.

It doesn't help matters that Papa Echo is gone to a conference. Hopefully he will meet somebody or some company that is wonderful and needs HIM. We have just started this whole unemployment process and already I feel like my patience is gone. It will be nice to have him home again to keep me grounded.

Well, I'm off to listen to Jonathan read to me. He has found a book that he likes to read and it is perfect for his reading level. So, I'll go be a good mom and enjoy my little guy before he grows up and doesn't need me anymore. Because really, Does anything else matter besides family?

Relief and/or Panic

Well, we have been worried and worried and tonight that worry has grown and changed.

Papa Echo got the phone call saying that the Billings office will officially close at the end of this month. We made the move to Billings specifically for his job and now there is no job. We have known this was a BIG possibility and in a way it's nice to finally have it done. Although, it would have been even better had we had something else lined up.

So, anyone know of a company in need of a civil or mine engineer?

Brrrr!!!

I can not figure out how we ended up in stinkin' cold Montana.

Alyssa had a soccer game and Jonathan had soccer practice tonight. It started raining. It was raining because it was three degrees too warm for snow. Jonathan's practice was canceled. (Thank you Jonathan's coach!) Because Alyssa is all grown up and in third grade, there were no cancellations. Papa Echo offered to take Alyssa to her game, but I thought there was no way the game would actually happen, so I said, "That's okay, I know you're busy. I'll do it." Little did I know that I would have to stay for the full hour game, outside, in the rain, freezing. What happened to "It's too cold to play..."? Alyssa was such a trooper though. She even made a goal! There were no complaints and as soon as we got home, she was put in a nice hot bath. I cuddled up with a good book (don't ask what I'm reading, again) and lots of blankets and finally got warm myself.

Next week I'll be prepared with hot cider and blankets and it will probably be 80 degrees outside. Ya gotta love Montana.

Quick Update

Well, it's been unusually quiet around here. It's the same old, same old. Between Papa Echo's job ANOTHER paycut, the real estate market slump and still owning the $#%&@ house in Big Timber and the bills piling up, I haven't been in the mood to write. So, here's an update with no whining about the above issues.

We went on a quick trip down to Salt Lake a couple of weekends ago. I needed to go see my newest nephew before he grew up. The kids had fun with all their cousins, and I had fun holding baby Jackson. And no, I'm not "baby hungry". The kids helped Grandma and Grandpa plant flowers and clean up the yard. (not that there was much to clean up...)

Caitlyn and Alyssa

Alyssa and Jessica


Jonathan and Caitlyn helping Grandpa

It was a quick trip, but great to be with my family.


Easter Weekend was productive and fun as well. The kids and I did a lot of yard work here at the new house. We pulled vines off the house, off the fence and out of the borders . I can't wait to see what it looks like in a month or two. We also started a big drainage product. We had to dig dirt away from the bottom of our house and in doing that needed to grade said dirt so that water would not pool at the foundation. (Can you tell I'm married to an engineer?) Bottom line is that we worked together all day Saturday moving dirt. The kids had fun and were such a big help!!
Then we decorated Easter eggs and sent the kids to bed.

The Easter Bunny brought baskets with candy and a summer clothes Saturday night, but since mom and dad forgot to put the eggs out on the counter, there was nothing for the bunny to hide. (I know, I know, we are the laziest parents ever...) So, Jason hid the eggs while the kids waited upstairs and then they went on their hunt. Jessica said it was okay that we forgot this year, but to try and remember next year.

We drove out to my brothers and spent the afternoon with his family. It is so nice to live close to Dave. (one hour is close in MT) We were able to see his new house and all the renovations he's done so far. The kids liked jumping on the trampoline and playing with Trace, Alexis and Parker (their cousins). All in all, a good day.

Well, I'll head back to deal with big grown up issues now and leave you dear blog with my favorite subject, my kids.

You know you've waited too long...

Jonathan: What is that smell? (said in a surprised/confused way)
Me: What, what are you smelling? Is it bad? What does it smell like? (afraid that we might be encountering another "issue" similar to the "Mouse Encounter of 08")
Jonathan: I don't know it's here in the bathroom.
Me: Well, I just cleaned it...
Jonathan: Yeah, yeah!! It smells clean!

It's sooooo much fun being the mom sometimes....