1st day of the hunt

I got my deer at 7:30am on Monday morning, opening day of the season here. A nice big doe came out about 7:00am, but I didn't have a doe permit. I was pretty bummed, but I guess it was a good thing! He was about 35 yards away and dropped right there. We have about 80lbs. of meet in the freezer now! Tastes real good! I'm going to have my buddy Kevin mount it for me. The rack has a 20" spread on the inside--
7 pointer. I am very thankful for the whole experience!

Drum Roll Please....

I must brag on my little boy today. This is the fourth morning of our potty training week, AND we have had NO ACCIDENTS since day #1!! He is even staying dry through his naps! I'm a little hesitant to say that he is completely day time potty trained, but man, I feel that he is pretty darn close. I haven't even used the timer to remind him since the first day. He comes and tells me when he has to do either #1 or #2, and then we just run to the bathroom and make a large deal out of the whole entire process! :0)

AND...I must brag some more.....even though he was only day #3 into his training, I decided to go to MOPS anyway yesterday. Instead of wearing normal underwear on him, I just put a pull up on, feeling certain that he would probably have an accident. This is a new place with a new potty and new people who he would have to tell. BUT, when I came to get him after my meeting, the ladies told me that he came right up to them and told them that he had to go, and he even went in a strange place on a big toilet with no potty seat!

I am just so proud of him and how quickly he's grasped this concept! I really feel like I haven't even done much to help him understand. It's like now that he's grasped the concept, he totally undestands. I think my lazyness in waiting until he was two in a half before starting has made this whole process a whole lot easier!! This is my new philosophy, anyway. I'm waiting until two and a half for all of them from now on!

All that to say - I am fully expecting for there to be more accidents along the way. I'm sure that we are nowhere near the end of this training process, but I am just SO thankful that each day since the first has not been a repeat of day #1. That was NOT my favorite! :0) So - thank you to all who thought of us and prayed for us. Have a great day!

WE HAVE NEWS!!!

First of all, let me just state that this is NOT the way that I would normally broadcast our news for the first time for some of you to read, but I am having no luck reaching some of you via the phone, and as news flies fast, I fear that this may be the only way that some of you at least "read" it first from my fingers - even if you do not necessarily "hear" it first from my lips. So, especially for Angie, Shannie, and Kristi......I do so badly want to chat with you VERY soon, but just in case we end up playing phone tag for weeks, hopefully you at least read the news first from me rather than get it second hand.

O.k. here goes.......WE ARE PREGNANT! Yep. Very exciting. I haven't been to the midwife yet, but we think that we're about ten weeks along. This is a little bit earlier than we shared when we were pregnant with Kaden, but I feel like second time around it's a little different. We're so far away from home, and I think that even if something happened and I miscarried, I would still tell everyone anyway. So, rather than say, "Hey, by the way, I was pregnant for two months but I miscarried," I would rather have the ones that I love walk the entire journey with us from the beginning. That's my philosophy anyway.

So, we are both really thrilled. We really didn't want there to be ANY more than three years between our kids (if we could have our way), and we also did not want to put our family on hold for school. If our calculations are correct, we are due at end of June or early July - RIGHT IN THE HEAT OF THE PHILLY SUMMER (Praise the Lord), but my schooling wraps up mid-June, so that's pretty perfect. Kev will be right in the middle of his internship, so it will be a little crazy, but such is life. We are thankful and feel so blessed. So far, I feel really good; just a little sleepy and queasy if I don't eat. But, other than that, I have absolutely NO complaints.

As much as Kaden understands, he is excited. When I ask him what Mommy has in her tummy, he whispers, "A baby for Kaden." From day to day it changes as to whether he wants a boy or a girl! So.......that's our exciting news. Feeling blessed and filled to overflowing......

Potty Training 101...Take Two

Since Thanksgiving is over, my Psychology work is complete, and we have only three weeks left until we head for the great country up North for the Christmas Holiday, I thought that this would be a good time to really buckle down and do the potty training for real this time.

I told Kaden right before he fell asleep last night of the plan to go into "big boy underwear" today and to start going on the big boy potty. He enthusiastically agreed that today would be a "good idea." So......here's the download of how things went this morning. The plan is that we set the timer, and every 15-20 minutes we go and sit on the potty. Kaden gets boatloads of drinks all throughout the day to help the process move along and a treat after each success. Bribery is a beautiful thing.

7:15 - Kaden wakes up with a super wet diaper from the night before. We immediately go into
big boy underwear with all pep talks included.
7:50 - Kaden yells, "I peeing RIGHT NOW!" and promptly gives me a small pond on the floor.
8:50 - KADEN PEES ON THE POTTY FOR THE FIRST TIME!!!! We are both totally pumped!
Kaden gets a treat and Mommy does, too.
9:10 - Yet another small pond on the floor.
9:30 - Pond #3 on the floor. (Mommy is feeling slightly exasperated but is trying to keep a
positive vibe going. In my head I am yelling: ALL I SAID WAS, "SHOULD WE TRY
TO GO AND POTTY AGAIN?" I meant - once we arrive to the bathroom - not NOW!!!"
9:55 - SUCCESS!!! Pee #2 on the potty! Thank you, Lord!
10:20 - Maybe we're starting to get this thing down. Pee #3 on the potty!
11:00 - Minor step backwards. Large pond on my countertop, no less, while he is helping me
fix us a snack. Lord, have mercy.

And.....nothing after this until naptime. To start out, I think I'm going to put him back in diapers for naps and bedtimes until we get the daytime conquered. Loving the song...."I've got a river of life flowing out of me".......Will keep you updated on the glorious going's on in the Booker household. In case any of you are wondering, I AM totally sanitizing all areas where pee has touched. Good times!

Hallelujah!

Lord willing, you will never have to hear or read such phrases as: "Blasted Psychology" or "Psychology Schmycology" ever ever again. Do you know why? BECAUSE I'M FINISHED MY FINAL PAPER!!! Oh my, this is so very exhilarating. In retrospect, it's not even that the course was all that difficult - it was an Introduction to Psychology course - nothing advanced. However, because it was a correspondence situation that allows you to go at your own pace over a period of a year, it can just seem to drag on and on and on. I had until March to finish this final assignment, but it's just been hanging over my head for weeks and stressing me to no end. I don't like this vast amount of freedom for getting assignments done. I much prefer a bit more of a pressure situation, I guess. I like closer deadlines. So, now - praise Jesus - it is finished, and I can move on to more exciting and important things like figuring out Christmas gifts for people and enjoying our tree.......and Old Testament Prophets....yeesh....but not for a few more days. I need to revel in the success of one more completed class. I am so happy! Aaaand soooo sleepy....only....four....more.....courses to take.....zzzzzzzz.

P.S. - Our tree looks fantabulous! Kaden preferred much more to secretly stash our ornaments away into his own little box than to put them on the tree, but he loves the finished product, as well. When all was said and done, he proclaimed: "I love our tree. It's super fun!" I couldn't have said it better myself! :0) Good night, all. I'm off to la la land.

It's Beginning to FEEL a lot like Christmas!!

Well, although once again the weather is in the high 60's today, it sure is beginning to look and feel a lot like Christmas in the Booker household. We found the coolest spot to cut down our tree this year. We went clear to Jersey last year to cut one down, because everyone we talked to around here just seemed to always get their tree at Wal-Mart. This country girl MUST choose and cut her own. It's tradition! So, we found the greatest spot called Carousel Village at Indian Walk. (Weird, eh?) This is a whole mini "village" that gives hay rides all around the tree farm, carousel and train rides, sells food, and has a couple of little antique and Christmas shops to browse around in.

We spent our entire morning at this little place riding on the hay ride, scoping out the perfect tree, and checking out the little shops. It was SO much fun! They even had a mini animal farm to look at with emus and ostriches walking around! (Random choices of animals)!

Kaden got a little bored when Mommy couldn't find the perfect tree. So, finally I just told Kev to choose one and chop it down. Come to think of it, I think there has only been one year where I actually made the choice of our tree! Well, he found the cutest chubby little tree that I just love! Seriously, I would have a tree up in my home all year round if I could.

So, now it sits - naked in our tree stand until Kaden awakens from his nap. We're doing it piece meal this year. It will be an all day event! So, while he sleeps, Kev is off doing a numb cultural study for one of his classes, and I'm going to attempt to get a huge handle on this blasted Psychology paper. But, when that little boy awakens - no more work for us! No siree!!!

Back to the Ole Grind

Oh man - only ONE month until we get to come home for Christmas to see our friends and family and stay for TWO WHOLE WEEKS!!! But, until then, Amy has much work to be done. Chapter one of my final book project is complete, and for that I am thankful, but I am just beginning that huge project. I really want to get a huge Psychology paper written within the next couple of weeks, get really far ahead in my next PBU class before I come home, AND figure out what class I could possibly test out of next. Joy unspeakable. I am on the homeward stretch though. Other than my final project, I only have two classes through PBU left to take, and two Gen Ed courses. Praise be.....

It is tank top and capri weather today, we're going to get our Christmas tree and decorate for Christmas tomorrow, and it's the week-end for goodness sake! How am I supposed to concentrate?! Ai yi yi......

Giving Thanks

We had such an awesome day yesterday with friends and our new "family" away from home! A staff member from the school invited all of us young couples from PBU who couldn't make it home to their families, over to their big home to spend the day. So, rather than all of us cramming into one little apartment over here, we actually got to be in a beautiful home eating a feast off of their china! There were about twenty-five people at this staff member's house! We stayed all day and into the evening eating, sharing blessings, playing games, and just talking and talking.

I LOVE this new family that I met! Their parents have died, and their siblings live away. But, rather than sit home and pine for how "things used to be" they opened their home to a boatload of people that they have NEVER met before and just really served and blessed us! We all brought food to share, but other than that - they wouldn't let us do anything! They did the dishes, packed up our food, AND played with our children! I want to bless people like this!

Kaden took a three hour nap over there, thoroughly enjoyed his meal, totally flirted with this family's two daughters, and had blast with their little dog. When we got into the car on the way home I asked if he had a great day, and he said, "That was SUPER fun!" I couldn't agree more!

Lazy Crazy Saturdays-ies!

I love Saturdays! I live for them! Kev has a fairly rigid rule that he strictly abides by, and that he tries to enforce on me (which I don't mind) - and that is: no homework on our day off! It is strictly a family day! Even during Kaden's nap, we should not do homework! Must admit - when an assignment is due, sometimes this is a little hard on me, but oh so necessary for my "retentive" personality when it comes to schoolwork.

So, today, for our family adventure, we went to one of our favorite state parks around here - Ralph Stover State Park. It's about forty-five minutes away, in a very private location, with a rushing river and lots of beautiful trails to hike and explore. We came here one other time this summer and brought a picnic and just played in the water all day.

It was a little chillier today, but we still brought nets and things to try and catch crayfish etc. Well, we were not there more than ten minutes when Kaden fell headlong into the water! We were throwing rocks, and the momentum of him throwing a pretty big rock made him take a couple of extra steps forward which sent him right into the river where he kept right on going until he fell down onto his hands and knees! I was right beside him, and it was just like I was watching a movie - I didn't even move. But, once I saw him down, I gasped and ran in after him and got drenched from knees to toes!

Well - normally, I have entire changes of clothing for my child. Not today, of course. So, we're digging through the car - trying to find things to change Kaden into. He's not even crying, but his lips were blue. I think he was in shock! We finally found an extra shirt and jacket for him, but no pants or shoes. So, Kev came up with a brilliant plan to put one of his long sleeved shirts onto Kaden for some makeshift pants. His legs went into Kev's sleeves, and then we just tied a huge knot around his waist to keep the shirt up. I found a dry pair of socks, so we put those on and then some plastic sandwich bags over them so that we could put his wet shoes back on. Oh my word - he looked hysterical - just like a little hobo! We went to a little sandwich shop for lunch and got some pretty funny looks from people. My pride made me tell the story to anyone who stared, because I didn't want them thinking that I normally dress him this way!

Oh my - a crazy, fun day. A necessary day from the wildness of life. And, a great memory day!

Happy Thanksgiving......a wee bit early!

Oh man - I am just getting SO excited for Thanksgiving......and I'm not even going home! That's pretty good! :0) It really is a very fun event here in the married students' complex. This will be the second year of our new tradition, and it is soooo much fun. All of us marrieds who can't make the trip home all get together for a HUGE potluck! We all bring our favorites that remind us of home and we cram into someone's apartment that's been all decorated festively. We eat off of china, talk of our own traditions back home, share blessings, play games, and just spend the entire day together. It is so so fun. For one entire day, we all come together and we become each other's family away from home. It really is such a blessing. We're all in the same stage of life together - we're all taking this crazy journey of having left home, friends, and family to come back to school - and we all just understand where each other is coming from and where we are going. It's a really special time. AND THEN......on that very Saturday following Thanksgiving, we go to get our Christmas trees! Oh, good times! Because we all travel home to see our families for the actual Christmas holiday, we need to get our own trees early so that we will have time to enjoy them. And every year gets more and more fun with Kaden! I love it! Other than the cold, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year! Fun! Fun! God bless you, my friends!

He is a Baby No More

Our little man has moved into a big boy bed! Oh my word - what a bittersweet event! We actually didn't think this transition would happen so easily or quickly - he is so timid about life! So, we just set everything up on Saturday afternoon thinking that we'd leave it and the crib in his room for a couple of days and just let him play on it and get used to it before we took the crib out at the beginning of the week. Well, he would have none of this! He wanted to sleep in it the very first night. He said, "My no baby anymore, Mommy. My big boy now." (His grammar is a little lacking, I know). So, we went with it. It was SO cute! We took tons of pictures and video footage and made a big deal out of it. Wellll, he only lasted for about an hour before he decided that maybe he would sleep in his crib for ONE more night! We didn't push it as the next day was Sunday and a very long day for us. However, the very next night, we tried it again, and other than him toppling out head first into a basket that I had beside his bed at 1:00 in the morning, he did great! He doesn't even remember, so we're not reminding him. However, both Kev and I almost peed our pants laughing! Kaden now gets so excited for nap time and bed time, and he keeps telling us how much he loves his new big boy bed. Too cute! AND, he has, thus far, obeyed us and not gotten out until he asks us if he can! Very exciting. Okay, now that this is conquered, on to the potty training!......Maybe I'll wait until the Maine gang leaves our place and start fresh the next week! My new goal is to be trained by Christmas! I'll keep you posted......Good times in the Booker household!

Was It A Phase?

Well, I feel I must post again on the attitudes and actions of my little boy. I'm sure that there will be more to come in the future - many phases - but I fear I made my little boy out to be a tyrant. Gone is the terrible two-ness and in its place stands - at least for now - my little Kaden who keeps saying, "I obey Mommy the first time....it makes Jesus happy." This stage -Round One - of telling us "no" and disobeying, at least for now, is over. Kev says I should always wait a little while to blog before I just puke out what's going on in our lives, since everything changes so quickly! Who knows....maybe in a week, my tyrant will have returned! Good times! Such is the life of a toddler. For now, I am simply thoroughly enjoying his sweet spirit and the fact that he is learning how to make Jesus happy.

Other news....Mr. & Mrs. Keezer had a sleep over with us on Sunday night! Such fun. We ate lots of junk and watched "Nacho Libre." Kev and Gret slept through the last half of it, but Bri and I made it through. Oh my - what a numb movie. It's Kev's new fave. Funny!

Okay, I am off to conquer laundry. I know you're all gasping at the shortness of this blog!!!