7 Months Later...

Okay, so it's been seven months since I've posted an update most people have probably stopped checking. I'm going to try to keep this up at least once a week, if not more. We recently got back from North Carolina, where we spent a week tubing, fishing, wading, gem mining, mini-golfing, hiking, etc. Oh, and a lot of reading and banana grams went on in the house. The only thing missing was Grant, he had to stay home (or go to ARK.) while we were gone. I'll put a few pics up and maybe a story or two next post. Baby steps.

Finally, back online...

We finally got a new computer and I'll start updating the site. Yea!! I have some more recent photos to add, but for now I wanted to put up the jack o'lantern pictures for this year. Per our family tradition, the kids picked out their designs, Grant gutted and carved, and I took pictures. We picked out our pumpkins at the pumpkin patch. In Texas that means the field where they put the pumpkins they grew in other states. The kids are on an antique tractor in one of the pics and FINALLY emerging from a corn maze in another. The third pic is of the two scary carved pumpkins.

We've had a great school year thus far, Em is maintaining her A's with less effort than usual and Lane has taken to reading like a fish to water. He really got excited at the Halloween store when he saw a "Help Wanted" sign. He said, "Mama, you could get a job here." I think when the time comes I'd rather work anywhere but the Halloween store. Anyway, I'll download their costumes and some pics from Cousin Claire and Aunt Julie's visit soon.

I lived through the weekend!!

We've had such a busy (but fun) weekend, I can't believe we all lived through it! I think it started on Wednesday. We went to church at 5 for dinner and left at 9. I had a meeting until 8, but Lane wanted to play in the gym with the big kids when we went to pick up Em. Thursday, I went to my first Pokeno party. I really enjoyed it, I had no idea it was practically bingo. Friday was the day that almost beat me down. First, if you've never been school supply shopping at Target in Texas on tax-free weekend, there's just no way you can understand what I've been through. Also, that was immediately following our jaunt to the uniform store, the very small uniform store, on tax-free weekend. I've blacked out the other places we went, I guess because the next think I knew, we were at Sonic and I was eating a Butterfinger Blast - never a good sign. Anyway, Saturday started with Lane's soccer game at 8:30. I'm reminded of my t-ball days because he will play the same team each week. He is on the Cowboys and all of the girls are on the Shortkickers. The Shortkickers are a more experienced, much larger team. There aren't more of them, they're just bigger. After the game, we went to Emma's school for parent work day. Emma cleaned Bible/History cards, bins, etc. and I made copies and did some cutting. Lane was the busiest with a stack of chairs as tall as he and a burning need to climb them. Ugh. I'm not exaggerating at all when I say Lane was inch-worming his way down the school hallway with a reading area bean bag chair between his feet. Emma and I got to see some friends and teachers we hadn't seen in a while. Lane has a special friendship with Mrs. (Elaine) Woodul and he got to see her. She always asks about his shoes (he never wears them) and he told her that he didn't wear his new shoes because she would be too amazed if she saw them. We all thought that was funny. Back on track, it was 10:30 by this time and I still had to buy fabric, monogram it, make it into a blanket, get the kids fed and get back to the soccer arena by 1:00 for Emma's game. Grant came home from his haircut and took Emma to her game while I finished my blanket. Lane and I raced the 10 miles to the game and got there just as the buzzer sounded, ending the second and final period. Lastly, I had a CAbi party (clothes at a home) to go to. I had never been to my friend's house and relied on Mapquest (for the LAST time) for my directions. I set out at 6:50 and arrived at my destination (5 miles away) at approximately 7:45. The directions were so bad that I went through Westover Hills, then went back to see if I miss-read the directions, re-interpreted them and ended up in Como. Yes, Como on a Saturday night. When I finally found my friend's house, I literally teared up. The family bike ride on Sunday made up for everything. It was my first bike ride since "the accident" and I still have on my wooden soled shoe, which was a bit awkward. The kids go back to school in 2 weeks and I think I'm going to make it now. Love to all, Stacy,

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Today Lane, Emma, Em's buddy Kennedy and I met Grandmama and Laura at G.G.'s apartment for some cupcakes and bingo. Emma and Kennedy raised $33 at a lemonade stand and spent some on cupcakes for the assisted living gang and will donate the rest to a program that helps buy cows for needy families. While we were there, the girls set out bingo prizes, called numbers, and passed out cupcakes. Not to be outdone, Aunt Laura unveiled her newest oil painting (of G.G.) and Lane entertained the crowd with his piano playing prowess. Actually, we banned him from the room because he kept yelling Bingo! and it confused the elderly. In other news, Oscar (the naughtiest weiner dog ever!!!) stole some chicken off of a plate on the coffee table -we're not supposed to be eating in there anyway. Later, I went to clear the dinner table and the new stick of butter that I had unwrapped and put on the butter dish was GONE. Ok, he left the dish and ate an entire (minus about a teaspoon) STICK OF BUTTER. I'm envisioning a giant glycerin suppository moving thru his little body and onto my floor!! He's locked up for a while. Also, Lane had his 5 yr check up on Monday and that boy can run. As soon as he heard the words finger prick, he ran like the wind. I followed. Through the lab lobby he ran, down two hallways, into a waiting room and hid behind a halfwall. You may say surely no one noticed, but alas, he was screaming like a banshee the entire time. My broken toe may never heal. Also, I'm adding pics of Em before and after her new haircut. Is this enough for you Julie?

First Update

I like looking at the Swenson Six blog so much, I've decided to start a Bannen Bunch page. I hope I'll be as diligent at updating it as my sister. We've had a busy summer so far. Grant has started doing a lot more Real Estate work and is now licensed as the Attorney in charge of the title company and real estate closings at the title company within his firm. So between that and his regular work (what do you do?) he's been finding it harder to find time to ride his new bike. I'm not jealous even though he's still swooning over it. I broke my big toe and sprained my ankle while hanging a curtain rod. (Editor's note: use a stepstool rather than a coffee table for said task). Emma has been a real blessing as far as helping out with Lane during the day, while I'm supposedly staying off of my foot. I think the kids may have a touch of whiplash from my driving in a fracture boot. Emma has been very busy attending soccer camp, GA Camp (5 days & nights), joining an indoor soccer team, and attending puppy classes with Oscar (the worlds busiest Weiner dog). Oh, and I'll have to post her pic soon because she recently got 6 inches of hair cut off. Lane just turned 5 and had a Pokemon bowling party (don't ask). I think both kids have grown a ton this summer. Boca seems to be getting older and grumpier and Oscar seems to be further and further from being housebroken. We're all ready for that to change. I'll add pics later. Love, Stacy