Life Lately

How do you catch up when you haven't blogged forever? Well, you don't. You just sort of move on :) I have been keeping a private blog just for family with our sort-of-weekly family letters (which we've been writing since the parentals have been in Russia), but I'd love to keep in touch with friends too! So here we go, a long overdue Boster update....

Jonathan has eight(!) more months of optometry school to go. Not that we're counting....

We are getting so excited to be done, but also realizing just how much we're going to miss everyone here when we move! It's pretty much bittersweet when you think about it.

James started KINDERGARTEN (how am I old enough to have a child in school??). He is enjoying it, I am enjoying having a little quiet time of my own during the day if the other two will nap simultaneously. One can dream, at least.

I am sort of becoming a morning person....at least, pretending to do so. Having a child in school will do that to you :) It is going surprisingly well and we enjoy having time together as a family before the boys go off to school. And I am exhausted once we put the kids to bed at 7.

We are feeling super homesick for AUTUMN. I usually walk James to and from school, in the BLAZING heat, with the other kids in the double stroller, uphill both ways (um, sort of for real), and I just really would love a small drop in temperature and a cool breeze. Luckily this week is supposed to be rainy rainy rainy...so in celebration we had chili for dinner! 

Ollie is seriously the best baby in the world. He is so patient and laid-back. And he gives me huge old smiles whenever I am feeling like a grumpy mommy. He LOVES playing games, and we play lots every day. His personal favorites include "This is the way the ladies ride," "Two eye peepers," the "blanket game" where Oliver and Ella lie on the floor and I cover them with a blanket and say, "where are my kids??" and then they kick and giggle as I pull the blanket off, "This Little Piggie," and "Here comes a man a-walkin'." I'll tell you what, it is a party over here.

Jonathan finally fulfilled his lifelong dream of building something out of wood (and I am sure it is just the first of many projects!) and built us a nice bench for our kitchen table. He made up the plans all on his own and did it ALL with just a hand saw so it took forever but it turned out awesome. So we finally have more than 3 chairs at our table. Huzzah.

Wednesdays have become "Blair day" in our family, as we started up a little dinner co-op with our good friends. We take turns cooking dinner and our families eat together (well, mostly the kids pick at their food for about 4 minutes before we let them run off and play, and then we eat and visit and play games). What would we do without our great friends??

It's always amusing the things you say as a parent that you never would have fathomed saying before you had children. Here's one example: "James, we DIDN'T name you Coriantor, so there's no reason to cry!"

We've all been sick this week (mostly just a high fever) - well all except Jonathan, he's usually the one who doesn't get sick, lucky guy! Luckily (?) we have all taken turns very nicely, so there has only been one of us sick at a time! First James, then me, then Ollie, and now finally Ella has succumbed, but is getting better. Ollie sure loved having a cold wet washcloth on his head!

Ella is adorable, as always, and is getting good at talking, singing and jumping. We really enjoy being buddies while big brother is at school (in fact, she often comes up to me and says, "Buddies??"). She loves playing with her baby dolls and has named them all "Ollie." She and her elephant lovey "Da-dat" are inseparable.

Well that just about wraps it up. Here are some cute picture for good measure.