A Time of Reflection

Since Alfred and I met in 2007 this is the first New Year's Day that we aren't either expecting a baby in the near future or just had a baby in the past year.  It's the first time I sit down to reflect on the past year and it isn't about major life changes!  We haven't had to spend any time this year getting into the routine of adding a new person to our life or anticipating how our life would change when the new baby arrives.  This makes part of me very sad but it makes another part of me very happy because although we didn't add to our family in size and the changes within our family this year are something an outsider wouldn't even consider, I, as an insider know we grew in comfort and love.
Sometimes it's all about the small things.  It's about waiting to cross the finish line at your first half marathon because your husband is injured and it's more important to run it together than to get a time you've been training for.  It's about cheering your 18 month old on at his big brother's first soccer game because that's when he decides to take his first steps. It's getting tons and tons of bad news in one week and your husband packing up the family for an impromptu camping trip because he knows you just need to be away from it all.  It's the wisdom I am given daily from a 3 and a half year old that reminds me how simple it really can be. 
A lot of great accomplishments were made this past year.  Alfred and I ran our first half marathon together and completed another Ragnar Relay in Chicago.   I finally allowed someone other than my mom or mother in law  keep both boys so that Alfred and I can actually go on dates.  Beckett finally took his first steps after months and months of anticipation.  Kingston played T-Ball and Soccer for the first time time this year.  And yes all of these things are amazing and make it into my journal at night but things that don't seem to make it in there are the things that have been on my mind a lot lately.  The things that occur everyday without me even realizing it.  The growth of a family.  Becoming comfortable with the everyday.
I don't necessarily do good at keeping so called resolutions but in 2012 I want to enjoy the little things more.  I want to appreciate my husband more for all that he does for us.  I want to breathe in every minute with my boys and not take one second for granted.  I want to tell those that mean the world to me just that, often.  I want to say thank you more.  I want to be better at living in the moment and not wishing them away.  As I very tragically learned this year we never know when this is the last moment we will get.  I want to make sure that I make as many moments count as I can!  Happy New Year!!  It really is great to be an Eller!

Kingston Chromicles-Thankful Addition

As I was dropping the boys off for school this morning and Kingston was hanging his jacket up I saw on the door of his classroom there were notes of what all the kids were thankful for. Kingston's was as follows:

Mommy
Daddy
Beckett
Aunt Amanda
Pawpaw's Chickens

I guess we know this was asked just days after returning from Ohio!  

Kingston Chronicles-Question Addition

I was looking around pinterest and found a post of 21 questions to ask your kids every year, tonight while Alfred was making dinner Kingston and I did a little interview session.  He did well for the first 8 or 9 then ask to take a break!  You will also think by his answers that I might be a good singer!  And although he and I sing at the top of our lungs quite often, a singer of any kind I am not!  So here goes the first Interview of Kingston Homer Eller:

1. What is something Mommy always says to you?
Goodnight

2. What makes Mommy happy?
When I share

3. What makes Mommy sad?
When I'm not here

4. How does Mommy make you laugh?
Sings Funny Things

5. What was Mommy like as a child?
A Singer

6. How old is Mommy?
3 1/2

7. How tall is Mommy?
Bigger (And hold his hand really high in the air)

8. What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?
Get some Flowers

9. What does Mommy do when you're not around?
work

10. If Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?
A singer

11. What is Mommy really good at?
writing

12. What is Mommy not very good at?
Saying bathroom words

13. What does Mommy do for her job?
looks on the computer

14. What is Mommy's favorite food?
sandwiches

15. What makes you proud of Mommy?
that you know how to get gas

16. If Mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Lady GaGa

17. What do you and Mommy do together?
Play

18. How are you and Mommy the same?
We love Saturdays

19. How are you and Mommy different?
We have different faces

20. How do you know Mommy loves you?
To the moon and back (I say this when he asks me how much I love him)

21. Where is Mommy's favorite place to go?
in our yard

So there you have it!  This was really fun!  I can't wait to do more and ask him next year and then get Beckett's answers when he's old enough!!  So much fun to see things from their view!

Geocaching Is For This Family

When I was growing up my parents used to take us on rides through the country to look at the leaves changing or to see what was going on in different areas of town.  We would ride around for hours and hours, sometimes stopping at the lake to walk around or have an impromptu picnic or climb a fire tower if we came across one.I thought every one's family did this kind of stuff, until my sister, Amanda, invited a very rude friend along.  She spent our 2 hour ride telling us how stupid this was and bored she was. Needless to say Amanda wasn't allowed to invite her back over but I realized not everyone had this special time!  I now realize one of the reasons mom and dad probably did this was for the family time it gave us, in a closed space none the less!  And yes Amanda and I declared war in the back seat and threatened death if you crossed the middle line but we also learned to get along and share and talk and tell our parents about our day and learn things about our parents and where they grew up. 

Fast forward 25 years and I want this kind of stuff for my boys, I want these awesome memories, but I'm not a drive with no destination person. I'm too plan every moment, get nervous if we don't have an agenda, go go go kind of person.  Then in March we went to Gatlinburg for our annual adult get a way and our friends Mark and Annie took us geocaching for the first time, I was hooked!!  This is what I'd been looking for. A reason to get out of the house and just enjoy nature and life and things with my family!!  And the element of competition between Alfred and I makes it even better!  Since our first find at the end of March we've found 100 geocaches!!  We have spent hours upon hours searcning everywhere from the woods, to light posts to guard rails to a little bitty house to greenways and parks!  It has been a blast and reminds me of all those hours I spent with my family in the car.  And we've introduced a ton of people to the sport ourselves!  




My mom, sister, nephews, Kingston and Beckett out geocaching across the street from my parents in a cemetery my sister and I grew up playing in!

My dad who was made to geocache and if he ever gets a GPS watch out World!





Susan  finding a geocache after our  run!












Our friend Mel found her first geocache!

 


My sister, Brett  and I at a break in the Ragnar Relay, this was his first geocache but he went home and hasn't stopped finding them since!

 

 Of course the most important thing to me is the memories we're making as a family and the places it's taking us! 



Kingston finding his first grocache 100% on his own! 





Me finding my 80th geocache!  We found 21 this day to make 100 finds total! 




We found a geacache 10 miles from our house and had this amazing view!







This is the neatest one we've found to date!  This house the actual geocache!

 

Kingston loves to be the first to open them!





Beckett likes when we find secluded little off the beaten path park areas where he can play and crawl around to his hearts content while we all look!



 We have absolutely loved making memories and seeing so many places we probably wouldn't have seen otherwise!  Our friends tease that we're addicted to geocaching and they're probably right but as long as we enjoy it this much I don't see it changing anytime soon!  

Beckett's Bio-12 Month Check Up

We tried to get the 12 month check up taken care of a month ago but Beckett was running a fever so the well visit became a sick visit and everything else was rescheduled for today. By everything else I mean height, weight, head circumference, eye exam, general exam oh yea and 3 shots :(! I'm lucky, since Alfred's weekday schedule is a little more flexible than mine he's the one that gets to deal with most of the doc visits and today was no exception! Of course I expect a full report the moment they leave :)!

The vitals:

Head Circumference: 18.41 53.79%
Weight 21 lbs 21.47%
Height 29 3/4 in 35.12%

Beckett wouldn't sit still long enough for them to get a picture of his eyes for the eye exam, he was too interested in the machine that was taking the pictures. They were going to keep trying but since we already have a great pediatric eye doctor due to Kingston's astigmatism and he is due for a check up in June Alfred decided we would just take Beckett for his first eye exam then too!
Alfred explained to Kingston on the way to the doctor that Bubba was going to be getting shots and Kingston would have to be strong so Bubba wouldn't get scared. When the nurse came in to give Beckett shots Kingston kept saying "Bubba you are doing so good, you are being so brave" and encouraging him. Beckett of course cried a little when she gave him the shots but Alfred said for the most part he did great!
As for everything else Dr. Collins said he's right on target. He's still not walking but apparently that's not a big deal. He says a few things! His newest thing is to say "Bye Bye" and wave very dramatically! He loves to give kisses! He can get from room to room very quickly and can climb stairs like a pro! He puts everything in his mouth including dog bones and mulch!!
Beckett sees the pediatric urologist that did his surgery next week. We are hoping to get some definite answers as to weather or not he will be having surgery again. I hope every thing isfine just taking it's sweet old time but to be honest I'm a little skeptical so keep us in your prayers next week! I hated him going through surgery the first time and I know if he has to have it again I will once again be a basket case!
All in all we have an awesome little dude that is growing up faster than we are ready for but it's amazing watching him turn into a toddler!!