So yeah it's been a while! Sorry

It's been a while since I blogged, but it's sometimes like that with kids. I'm happy to report that Truitt is pooping and peeing in the toilet full time now! Truitt and Ephraim keep us in a constant state of entertainment. Some of the statements that come out of their mouths often have us in stitches. On the other hand if we are not laughing, we are disciplining. It amazes me that a 3 1/2 year old can know how to lie. Ephraim is starting to count, he can get up to 10 pretty well. He it still a very picky eater, although we did find some cheese that is naturally lactose free, so we don't have to exclude cheese from all his meals now. Both boys like listening to music. We have a couple They Might Be Giants kids albums. They also like Queen, The Who, and Muse. (we do censer what songs they listen to, just so you know) Truitt usually likes songs that have a strong guitar lead, and Ephraim likes a good strong drum beat.
Aaron is trying to decide between a physics class or an art class for next semester. I think is is glad that Calc. 3 is almost done, or maybe he is just ready for a little break.
As for me, well I've really gotten in to reading as of late. So far this year I have read 13 books (most of them over 500 pages), which if you know my previous track record with reading, you would know that this is really good. I am currently trying to read some of the classics, so I am reading Dracula now and am almost done. I will read The Voyage of The Dawn Treader next, because I would like to read it before seeing it in theater.
I will try to post more often again, but if I don't get to it again until after the Holidays....
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Progress report

I am happy to report that after several long months, Truitt is very close to being potty trained!!!! He pretty much stays dry all day, with the exception of a couple accidents here and there, and he still won't poop in the toilet, but we are getting closer. Even Ephraim is getting in on the act! He is starting to make the connection of what if feels like when he pees and poops and is willing to sit on the toilet. Aaron is in Calculus 3 this semester. He just got a 99% on his first test! He is discovering what specific major he wants, which is good. He had decided on industrial design, which if you know Aaron, this major really fits him.

update

Wow I can't believe it's August! In a week Ephraim will be 2 years old! It never ceases to amaze me how quickly the time goes by. Ephraim's vocabulary has really taken off. He quickly went from knowing a few words to putting together 4 word sentences. In 2 weeks my parents will be here to celebrate Ephraim's birthday (and my b-day too). I'm very excited to see them for a few days.
Truitt is still working on potty training. He's getting closer. We are going to start alphabet books soon (that is if mommy can get on the ball cutting out pictures).
Aaron starts school the last week of August, but right before that we have his 10 year class reunion. They are doing a float trip. I really hope this one is a better experience than my last float trip. Well our A/C went out yesterday, so I need to call someone to come out and fix it. I guess I better get on that.

I think it's working...

Ever since we started using the cloth diapers Truitt has become more aware of when he pees. Just in the last few days he has been asking to sit on the toilet to try to pee! This is very exciting. Every time he pees in the toilet he gets to put a Spiderman sticker on his chart (believe me this is a BIG deal). He is still afraid to poop in the toilet. I don't get why, but I've heard that this is a common thing.
Ephraim will be getting a big boy bed some time in the next week. This is a big deal to him, because we are able to lay on Truitt's bed a cuddle with him, but we can't climb in the crib with Ephraim, so this makes him sad. (Although, Aaron did risk climbing in with him one night, thankfully nothing broke.)
I am currently attempting to, little by little change, organize and generally make the house look better. For the first time ever I also started a garden this year. I found out that I won't get anything from my strawberries, or blueberries this year, but I'm looking forward to having a plethora of yummy brightly colored berries next year. My eggplants are growing but not yielding veggies yet. My tomatoes are doing well. Nothing else has come up yet (granted I planted everything else a little late).
Aaron has been working on his C++ class. It is a summer course, so that means they pack 12 weeks worth of learning into 8 weeks. Poor guy he works on it every night and he enjoys it, but it is a lot of work.

A New Journey

We are embarking on yet another new adventure. This weekend we bought all the items needed to switch our boys (and any future kids we may have) to cloth diapers! It's quite the investment to start, but with in 6 months they will pay for themselves. I know what you may be thinking. "But your boys are 3 and 2 isn't it a little late to start cloth diapers?" Well thus far Truitt has not been interested in going potty in the toilet. I asked him why and he said he just didn't want to. I had done some reading that kids in cloth diapers tend to potty train faster, because they can feel the wet against their skin. Aaron and I talked and we thought that it might help him to make that connection of I felt this, and then I peed and now I'm wet, so when I feel this I must need to pee. It's only day 2 and Truitt has been really good so far about telling us when he feels wet. But enough about that on to other updates:
Truitt had his 3rd birthday! We gave him a Spiderman party. He had SO much fun. It was great to see his eyes light up when he saw the balloons and Spiderman cake!
Ephraim is almost 22 months. It seems like he learns a new word everyday. He is really into Curious George and Bob the Builder lately. We got the newer Curious George move from Netflix a couple weeks ago, and I had more fun watching him than the movie. He was g-l-u-e-d!
Aaron just finished Calculus 2. He said it was pretty hard, but he really enjoyed it.
I'm working hard at Starbucks and trying to get the house more organized. Making small updates to the little things around the house, makes a big difference.
I'll keep you all updated on how the cloth diaper thing goes.

Grapefruit!

I don't know about the rest of you, but I've never really been that big of a fan of grapefruit. Until now. Thanks to the good man Alton Brown (he hosts the show Good Eats on Food Network) I know like eating grapefruit.

I love how Alton actually explains some of the science behind the food we eat and the recipes he cooks. Anyway, he explained that the best way to get rid of the bitter flavor of this citrus fruit is to do a combo of sugar and salt. So you sprinkle some sugar on top of your halved grapefruit and you actually torch the sugar (so you caramelize it like you would for creme brulee). Then while the sugar is still warm you sprinkle some sea salt on it. In the words of Alton Brown...Those are some "good eats".

Picky eater and toilet hater

Ephraim has become a picky eater.
That is a sentence I never thought I would say. Even if it's food he likes, if it just doesn't sound good to him at the time, he doesn't want it. Well we are putting a stop to it. If he doesn't want what I made then he can get down, but he can't have anything else to eat until he eats at least some of his dinner. It works most of the time.
Truitt likes talking about the toilet but when it comes to actually going and sitting on it, it's then that we have an issue. I'm glad it's getting warmer this week, because we are going to try putting him just in training pants so that he feels the wet against his skin. I'm hoping this will help him make a connection.
Aaron has a big test on Wednesday so until that is past he will be busy studding.
I have to go to the grocery store tonight with 2 boys in tow. I am looking forward to Friday April 2nd. because Aaron and I are having a much needed date night! AND Christoper Elbow is releasing 12 new chocolate flavors!!! So you can guess one stop on our date.

food

A friend of mine decided she wanted to walk/run a 5k in June, and asked if I would like to at least train with her. So this morning at 5:45 we started out first day of training. During out little walk/run we started discussing the food we eat in America and what's in it and what it's doing to our bodies. She is reading a book that sounds right up the same alley as a book I read a few months ago.
The book I read is called "The Unhealthy Truth". It is a fantastic book that will open your eyes to all that is wrong with our food system, and why so many of us are seeing an increase in allergies and sickness.
I started reading it because our youngest son Ephraim developed a sever case of eczema when he was 4 months old. We discovered that he has an allergy to oats and he is lactose intolerant. Shortly after that my dad found the book and I started reading. I had no idea that different food allergies could cause so many different health problems (big ones and small ones). Allergies manifest themselves in so many different ways including asthma, eczema, ADHD, stomach ache, head ache, etc, even mood swings! I'm really hoping that as the word gets out, and more people discover the truth, things start to change.
I'm sure that most of you who try to eat healthy know that it is difficult to eat healthy (let alone organic) on a tight budget. I am always on the look out for deals at stores and recipes so that I can make things from scratch so that I know exactly what's in it. For example today I made homemade bread, granola bars, and chocolate chips (my husband is allergic to soy).
If you have any suggestions or fun recipes you would like to share send them my way!

Every once in a while a day comes along where you accomplish a lot. Today was one of those days! I stayed on top of the laundry. (I usually get distracted and forget to change it out) I swept the house, and mopped the bathroom and kitchen. I got rid of some clutter in the bedrooms. I even got my kids to eat some veggies at lunch! Let's just hope this keeps up!

Truitt is doing well. The other day he disciplined his bear. First he made the bear hit the truck, then he sent the bear to time out. He looked at us and explained why he put the bear in time out. Then he sat down with the bear and had a little heart to heart. The conversation when like this.

Truitt: "Why did you get a time out?"
Truitt: "That's right, you hit the truck."
Truitt: "What does the discipline chart say about hitting?"

So he proceeded to give the bear the appropriate punishment for hitting and even made the bear say he was sorry to the truck. He then looked at us and said "I'm going to make him hit the truck again."
Well at least he understands the standard we have in our house.

Ephraim is starting to talk more. I got him to say banana yesterday. He is really watching our mouths when we talk and is trying to mimic. He is also trying to learn how to get dressed and undressed. He already has great humor.

Aaron and I celebrated our 10 year anniversary of the day we met on Jan 29. He took me to the Peppercorn Duck Club. We had a very romantic dinner and had time to reconnect over yummy food. Then we got to experience the "chocolate bar". Oh yes you read that right CHOCOLATE BAR! Need I say more?

Well if I don't stop typing my productive day will turn into a semi-productive.

Operation Big Boy

The weekend after Christmas we traveled to Colorado to visit my family. We had a really fun time. Because we have has several "Christmases" once we were done, Truitt thought the gifts should keep appearing under the tree. Our kids totally cleaned up. I really had to sift through the toys and get rid of a lot of stuff.
Now that we have started a new year we are starting "Operation Big Boy"! We have said goodbye to Truitt's binkey, we are going to start wearing potty training pants tomorrow, and tonight is Truitt's first night in his big boy bed!
I will have to admit potty training intimidates me a little, so if you think about it pray for us.