Off Track...

Jackson got to have lots of fun during his 3 weeks off track. It is really like we all are on vacation when he doesn't have school because it really frees up our schedule. It's kind of nice to break up our vacations throughout the whole year instead of having 3 months of summer time.

Uncle Caleb was Jackson's biggest entertainer. They went to the airplane museum up by Hill Air Force Base and got to see some of the planes his Great Grandpa Eugene flew. Caleb let him pick out a little plane at the museum which he likes so much that he sleeps with! At the museum they were sitting outside and Caleb asked Jackson if he knew what one of the planes was that was parked outside. Jackson said it was one of the transformers he saw in the movie! Also, Caleb took Jacko to Lauren's Jr. High for lunch. I think Caleb enjoys embarrassing Lauren, and he told her she has a "hot ass" (she's a PE teacher and runs up to 13 miles/day with her students). And, just so you know, Caleb doesn't usually use questionable language, I was a little shocked to hear this story. Anyway, Lauren told Caleb not to say that in front of Jackson, and Caleb said Jackson couldn't hear. I guess he did, because he asked Caleb what a "dumb ass" is. Kids at school say it all the time, and he just wanted to know what it meant! I wonder what else he hears at school!

He got to pick out his own snack and got a pack of ding dongs - something we never have at home. That was a major highlight of his time with Caleb. The boys have decided that they need to save up to buy their own Ipod touch, (after playing with Caleb's) so they did some chores for Caleb and each earned a little over $3! They are well on their way to that Ipod! I'm proud of them for setting a goal and working diligently towards it.

James was out of town for a week, so we were back and forth between home and my parent's house. It's always easier to have other adults around to help entertain the kids! We enjoyed spending time with Grandma Ce-Ce and Poppy, and Caleb and Lauren. We even got to see Luke, Andrea, and cousin Peter who is crawling everywhere now. Blaze enjoyed getting all the attention he could handle. He cut his bottom two teeth, and he started eating some vegetable baby food and loves it! I guess that's not a huge deal since he's been fed bits of anything James feels the need to give him his whole life!

We also had all of the Williamson cousins over for a play date one day. Alanna has two girl cousins her same age within months of each other, and one about a year younger. It's fun to see them all run around the house and play. The cousin count has just exploded in the last couple years, so Alanna and Blaze will have lots of little playmates to grow up with. Jackson and Paul are good to help entertain the little kids for now. I wish they had cousins their age, but I guess they had the benefit of getting all of the attention for a few years!

In a Picture...

It's said that a picture is worth a thousand words. I need be more dilligent in taking pictures and video clips of my kids while they are this young. They love playing together so much!

Friendship...

When I moved from VA to UT 4 years ago, I met one of the best friends I have ever had. I know that the timing of our friendship was no coincidence, for she helped me though one of the most difficult times of my life. She is one of the strongest most positive people that I know, and I will always admire her for the courage and perserverance she has shown with her life choices.

Now we are so devastated that Maryann and her family have moved. My brother, Caleb, called the other day to ask me if I was okay :) He said Maryann isn't just a "regular" friend, and he is right! I never get tired of her. We talk on the phone at least once a day, but sometimes 4-5 times, even though she is right across the street. When we go out with other friends we always want to sit together so we can talk. We can take one another's kids when we are about to loose it. We have long serious conversations about American Idol. We ask each other what the other is cooking for dinner (something my mom always did with her friends that I swore I would never do!). We laugh until we have tears in our eyes sometimes. My kids love her like she is part of our family, as they do Riley, Preston, and Pyper! The only thing that I can think of that bugs me about Maryann is her love for hot dogs - she eats them cold, and she will probably want to kill me for sharing that! She came over and ate one in front of James and I just to gross us out :)

I just know that my brother Paul, and Preston and Riley's mom in heaven thought we needed to be friends and neighbors! And I know that we will always be great friends, even though they have moved to Salina! I know we will still talk on the phone all the time, and we will see them when they come up to visit family, but it still won't be the same :( So, Maryann, I'm sorry that I have been so difficult about you moving, it's just because I love you so much, and life just won't be the same without you right across the street! And my kids just aren't going to know what to do without you all either! But I will try to be unselfish, positive, and grateful that you are only 2 hours away, and that Jon is so excited about his job opportunity. We'll look forward to the weather warming up so we can come take a walk with you and see the cows :) We better be your second stop when you come up this way to visit!

I keep receiving condolances from friends telling me how sorry they are that my best friends moved. They ask how I am surviving without Maryann. The great thing about good friends though - you know you will be friends forever!

Since When...

Since when did "Cupid" and "The Magic Leprechaun" come and leave presents for kids? They certainly didn't come and leave me Ipods (or their equivalent) or video games when I was a kid! But my kids have gotten the idea that Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day are like Christmas with Santa's helpers delivering quarterly gifts year round. My kids have a count down going for St. Patrick's Day in the hopes that they are going to get a special visit. Jackson has been complaining that "Cupid" didn't come and leave him anything, so for sure the "Magic Leprechaun" has to! We have already warned them not to expect a visit, but they can plan a "green" themed dinner for St. Patrick's day. On top of that, they are saying we need to celebrate Dr. Suess's birthday today and have a cake and a party! Is all this foolishness going on just because we live in UT and parents here go overboard????? Are anyone else's kids disillusioned with fairies and leprechauns like mine are?????