Dakota has started to play guild wars! Chris and I both play it. We gave up a 6 year everquest habit for it! He was playing Diablo, and guild wars is basically a combination of the two games. 
David sent Dakota his copy of the game since he isn't ready to kick the EQ habit. I guess all Dakota needs now is the strategy guide. It actually is pretty helpful. I use ours often.
Chris isn't really a tree hugger, he was just hanging around the tree at Foster lake in Sweet Home, Oregon, waiting for me to take a few pictures. Foster Lake is a man made lake behind Foster Dam, fed by the santiam river, and spill from the dam above it (Green Peter). Occasionally, when the water is low, you can see the old hwy and building foundations. It is about a 35 minute drive away from our home, and a wonderful place for recreational water activities on a hot summer day. They have a floating dock for water skiing, and a couple of boat ramps and camp grounds, as well as the viewpoint where this picture was taken.
As always, I try to be the one taking the pictures so as not to be in to many!
Chris looks so handsome and happy here that i couldn't resist sharing. He turned and smiled at me from the pier with the Newport, Yaquina Bay Bridge shrouded in mist and fog behind him. Even the seagull seems to be posed just for this shot.
I haven't had a good "brother Duck" post in a while. This picture is from a couple of summers ago. Dakota has been playing organized basketball for six or seven years now. In third grade his dad even coached him. I am looking forward to getting Indy a little plastic hoop and letting Dakota show him how to shoot (or as little kids do, walk up and stuff it in the little hoop)! I still remember when Dakota was just a little thing and his dad would heave him up to the big hoop out front, for Dakota to drop the ball thru. It took several trys usually because the ball was so big compared to Dakota's hands that he would drop it before he got all the way up to the hoop! If you ask Jimmie he would probably say that Dakota still drops the ball on the way to the hoop, but no one listens to him anyways! Keep playing ball, Ducky, we love you.
Two handsome guys! Chris and Indy walked out onto the beach in Lincoln city, the sand was deep and soft. I took my sandals off and sunk my toes in. We didn't let Indy stand alone in the sand, or sit in it because he grabs and eats anything he can reach. I didn't think our sand would be very nutritious. It was a great trip, we went to the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport as well as the Undersea Garden, Wax Works and Ripleys Believe it or Not. Then on North on hwy 101 to Depoe Bay where we hit the shops, and spent way way too much on dinner. The food was alright, and the location was pretty good to. Jerry tried a local microbrew (Widmer Heffeveizen... a nice wheat beer) that I am not sure if he liked or not, but it is one of my favorites. Then on North 101 a little further to Lincoln City for a little beach access. Finally we took the round about way home, via hwys 18, 22, and 99. It really was a nice trip!
Indiana took his first trip to the beach today! Grandpa, Daddy, and Baby all enjoyed the windy, mist and fog filled day (Kathryn also was with us). This picture was taken at the "D" river state park in Lincoln City. There are some mighty fine looking men in this family, and today I had three with me!
Better LATE than never, i suppose, hehe. Papa Harley (that would be grandpa Jerry) missed his connecting flight in denver adn was 3 and a half hours late! Indiana was miserable, and yelled and he just wanted to be home! But now that he is here we are looking forward to a pleasant four days! Welcome to Oregon.
Chris got a haircut.
I had to share this. This is my mom's dog. Jengibre is a 9 year old Miniature Pinscher (min-pin). Fully grown she weighs just 4 1/2 pounds, when she isn't struggling with a weight problem from too much deli chicken, and McNuggets (she is exceptionally small, even for her breed). She loves fried chicken! She is a pretty snazzy dresser, too. My mom designs and makes all of her clothes, from this patriotic black leather jacket, to Halloween costumes and spangled feminine jackets, to collars with fancy bandanas for the hot summer days, even warm "snow suits". She is truly well dressed. Jengibre is not sure yet if she likes Indy. When he cries, she throws her little head back and howls! That makes Indy stop crying and look at her, trying to figure out what the noise is. Of course when he stops, she stops and that makes him start again. Kind of a vicious cycle!
Toys are starting to be interesting! Indiana is starting to grab hold of things and clunk himself in the head with them on the way to putting them in his mouth. We had purchased so many things for him, and like most parents, were getting discouraged at his lack of appreciation for all our hard spent cash. Now, he is finally of an age to care about such things as rattles, stuffed animals and books! I suppose that means the buying frenzy will really begin!
Now, I am about the biggest beatles fan ever. I wasn't there when John Kennedy died, but i cried the day John Lennon died!(and i was only 6) When George Harrison died i was devastated. However, i always thought that Paul was my favorite, after all, Paul was the cute one (oh and he's talented too). Well, as i get older, and as they get older, i am starting to like Ringo way way way more. Ringo is cool. I never thought i would say that, but its true. It pains me, but it is the new reality. Ringo is my favorite beatle. Ringo is fun, and interesting. Paul seems too stuck on himself these days.
Indiana is teething. His mouth hurts. So, basically he is ALWAYS in a bad mood. I have to take my fun where i find it. Sometimes in things as silly as putting his duck pants on his head while changing a diaper. Yeah its a cheap thrill, but Daddy is working long hours again and i have to take what i can get!!
Sometimes, i feel like im just running around in circles, never actually figuring things out. Every now and then a bolt of lightening gives me a brilliant idea, and sometimes, just sometimes it works. I finally figured out how to put a picture into the title box of this blog. It only took 4 months.
Indiana was a busy guy today. He talked to my mom, and to one of the flags flying outside her front door. He went across the street and chatted with Becky, and with her older son, Brian Cody. For a twelve year old boy, he had a lot of patience with a strange baby sleeping on him! He smiled at the one week old baby kittens that 
Becky's mama cat has. He rolled around in the grass. When he got home, he played in his crib by himself for twenty minutes or so, then into his boat, and the into the swing for a nice long nap. Keeping up with him, I think i need a nap, too! I guess perhaps the dishes can wait, and the vacuum can be run this evening. Curling up in the recliner for a bit of a nap is just to tempting to resist.
OK, so normally I would NEVER post a photo that included myself. But, my mom took this one in her front yard, and I don't look near as bad as I usually do. We spent the morning with my mom, just sort of hanging around. He enjoyed some fresh air and green grass on his toes, as well as pulling up fist-fulls of yummy foliage and trying to stuff it in his mouth!
We do not actually know height/weight, but he goes in for more shots on the 30th so we will be able to update you then. For now, he seems to be growing like a weed. At 4 months and 1 week he wears clothes from 6mo-12 mo in size, and has already "almost" grown into his size 3 shoes. Jessica gave him a cute pair of reebok shoes that light up when he steps. For now he mostly wears over-alls. He has a couple pairs of jeans, too. Nice easy mix and match stuff, though. His drawers are bulging with adorable things, thanks to all the friends and family who love him! 
I don't think this baby weight is ever going to come off. I exercise, i really do. I walk a little, and i lug around an almost 20 pound boy a lot. I got one of those "step thingies". I hate it. It stares at me from the closet. I try to keep the door closed, but my husband's socks are in a basket in there, and he cant close doors behind himself. So, when i get up in the morning, there it is... The "stepercizer" smirking at me. If it could talk i know it would make rude comments about my butt!
Forced Re-Locatoin is a reality. No, not in Gaza, in our home! At least Indiana doesn't seem to mind that he is still stuck sleeping in his play pen in the living room. The cooler weather should be coming next month. When it does, the air conditioner will go into his closet and he will go back into his crib in his room. For now his baby monitor is on an extension cord, and his favorite sleeping music is on the computer. (I can tell that his monitor is working, and that I'm on the right channel because i get to hear the music in our bedroom thru it!) 
Since i don't have a picture of Indiana ACTUALLY happy (well that's an exaggeration but ...) This doodle will suffice. Actually this post is a quick note to give credit to the great folks at www.hotavatars.com and at www.gifanimations.com for offering free doodles and pictures. I take full advantage of their stuff, and feel confident in fully recommending them as a great source of buttons, avatars, doodles, add-ons, and other fun things! If you know of other great SAFE sites for fun free animations, let me know!
but i disagree. Indiana KNEW his daddy hadn't been home much, and today he clung to his dad. It was sweet, really. They grinned at one another, cuddled and babbled back and forth. You might notice that i didn't take any new cute pictures (for those of you keeping track, this was taken last week when i went walking with my mom). I tried telling Chris and Indy not to be cute because i loaned the camera to Kathryn, but they wouldn't listen, and now i can't prove it. David dropped by unexpectedly for a visit. We love visitors, especially when the house is clean. Indy was a doll and grinned at David, talking and squealing at the attention. He still loves everyone who pays attention to him.
I admit it. I am moody. I am a worrier. I am a good wife and mother, that is WHY i am a moody worrier. Well, that is my excuse.
I keep having this recurring fantasy. I know many of you stay at home moms (yeah that's PC for housewife) have had this fantasy. You know the one I mean... It's the one where i dream my husband comes home from work in a good mood, wants to go OUT to dinner, already has a baby-sitter lined up, and doesn't leave his smelly work socks on the bathroom floor when he is done showering. Its the one where he realizes there isn't a housework fairy and that i really do stuff when he is at work that doesn't involve blogging!
So, he comes staggering out of the bedroom (yes i woke him up) "where's the beastie" he mumbles. I point to the huge hairy monster on the ceiling, and he pales. He really really really DOES NOT like spiders. Anyway, he swats this thing like he is Obi Wan, or Quan Jin, or whoever and the spider drops (dead presumably) behind my desk. He twirls his little plastic weapon and smiles as he stumbles back to bed. About ten minutes later, out from behind the desk crawls the BIG BAD spider. I didn't have the heart to tell him, so i just stepped on it. Sometimes, i can be a good wife.
Zachary is up to seven pounds eleven ounces! 
I dont get much time to myself anymore, so i just decided to TAKE some. OK, i admit it. Dear Husband and Dear Son #2 are both asleep. So, I am taking this time to re-touch some of the photos from the last few weeks that were still sitting on the camera card. 
With a 64mb card, being down to only 30 pictures left, it was time to clean it off. "THEY" say that 4 month olds sleep about 12 hours per day. (i looked it up) What "THEY" fail to mention is that some little guys (like Indy) sleep those twelve hours in 20 minute increments, giving me just enough time to do half of the dishes before he is up and wants more attention. Sometimes, he can find his thumb and just sleep for hours. The last two nights he has actually slept thru the night, so i suppose i cant complain, although i still do. As for Dakota, i surfed on over to his blog and it appears he is all ready for another year of school. 
It is kind of neat to me that exactly twenty years after me he is attending the same junior high that i did. Scarily enough, some of the teachers that i had are still there. I hope noone notices the resemblence, or he might find himself serving some detention time that i had left over from all those years ago (hehe)! Oh, and the anime is somebody Dakota likes, who's name i cant spell or pronounce. Nor do i know what he/she is from. But, i found the pic and thought i would post it for him.
I LOVE being an at home mom, don't get me wrong. Sometimes, though, it seems like the housework never ends and the baby never stops crying. I guess I am only feeling like this because Chris has been working 12-14 hours a day this week. He comes home tired, dirty, and hungry. All he wants is a bath, dinner, and a pillow. I don't blame him! He says he misses us. However, what it means for me is that the time i normally get a bath, and a break to maybe walk to the mailbox alone is history. I suppose Indiana will grow out of this stage soon, and Chris will get some time off soon. I hope i survive it!
Just because Indiana has his own room and his own play pen, doesn't mean he doesn't prefer hanging out on our bed! He likes to be propped up on the pillows and watch the television from the comfort of the middle of the bed. Occasionally he will sleep there, too. Usually we TRY to have him sleep on his own, but there are times when we fall asleep after our early morning feeding, and he just gets to stay where he drops. Sometimes that means in his swing, or on my lap in the recliner. More often it means in the middle of the bed with his feet on his dad. 
creative in how it hung over his play pen. This one is twin size, so i just fold it in half and it fits great. He loves the soft, sinking in cofort that surrounds him. It really makes him sleep better. When fall arrives and he goes back into his own bedroom with his crib, this new comforter should fit well in there, too. He spends a small amount of time every day laying in his crib and sort of playing around, so that he doesnt feel disconnected with it. I want him comfortable in it, so that when he moves back to sleeping in it, he will be able to transition smoothly. I think the comforter will help there, too. He will be able to take the familiar comforter with him from playpen to crib.
Indiana enjoys his saucer so much. Especially when daddy is home and watching. 
And she doeesn't seem to notice the problem, even after a million (ok thats an exageration) attempts to get her to realize that Although i dont care what she does to herself, NOONE is endangering my sons well being if i can help it. Do i just not let her see him anymore? Is that fair to my son? I am going crazy about this.
Today was much better! Not as busy. Indiana had a great day yesterday, so he has been in a great mood all day. Chris and Indiana and I went and picked blackberrys for about an hour, then took the berries to my moms so she could make me PIE!! I love pie. When we got home, Indiana played with his hammer, and his frog in his crib. As I write this he is sleeping peacefully in his swing (knock on wood). Nice relaxing Saturday. Only two weeks more until Papa Harley comes to visit!
although a little put out at having to hitch a ride in the bottom basket of her own stroller, seemed to not mind the long walk. Jengibre has lost a lot of weight, and is looking really good! When we got back from the walk we went across the street. Becky and her boys and the day care kids played with Indiana. Later in the day Becky took him to her house and he napped with her so I could have a break! He enjoyed his nap, and woke up a fairly happy baby! Just before his daddy arrived to pick us up after work, he settled in again for a nap, this time with his favorite frog. My mom reinforced a few of the seams that were coming apart. 
So, thankfully Indiana's favorite frog is as good as new again. All in all it was a nice day for me. Between my mom and Becky, Indiana was entertained pretty well most of the day. He can be a handful sometimes. But he is worth it!
