I had to go back to work to pick up something, so Skyler went with me. He liked walking around my classroom, which I just moved into earlier this month. On the way out, we went through the front office and he got to pick up a children's book from the upcoming rummage sale.

This morning, I took a photo of him in my office at home. Notice the gazillion toys laid all around.

Skyler and I have been exercising this week and we love it! He races me...and he wins every time. We share a cold water bottle and talk about our day.

He likes to try the treadmill, too, so we do that part together at the slowest pace. I keep reminding him that he only uses it with daddy. There are about three or four power buttons and safety features, so I'm not worried he'll ever be able to turn it on and start it up on his own anytime soon.

Joey the Bug is Sad
by Skyler and Daddy
January 26, 2010

What is Joey the bug doing today? I wonder if he is hungry like me. I am very hungry. My belly wants food when I play outside so long.

What does Joey like to eat? Maybe he likes to eat cereal like me. I want to eat snow monster cereal. It tastes so yummy. Do we have some in the cupboard?

Joey also likes to hug his mommy and daddy. They give him great hugs. He is sad right now because his mommy is going on an airplane. Joey wants to play with his mommy.

What will Joey do when his mommy is far, far away? Maybe he will play with his daddy! They can do lots of things.

They can play outside.
They can play inside.
They can play at the park.
They can play anywhere!

Joey the bug will miss his mommy. When she comes back, he will give her a great, bug hug. He loves her very much. He doesn’t want to be sad.

I want to be happy and not sad. I want to play with my daddy, too. He is a fun daddy. We play all the time and act silly every day. I love him very much.

Tomorrow, Joey the bug has a big day. He is going to the dentist. He really likes the dentist. He gets to pick a little toy and gets lots of stickers. It is so much fun.

Goodnight, Joey the bug. Sweet dreams. See you next time.

The End

Yesterday, I visited Skyler's preschool class and joined Skyler in Messy Day! It was a lot of fun and I enjoyed seeing Skyler interact with his teachers and classmates. He got so messy that even I had to clean up. The children made lots of projects and even "skated" in shaving cream.

Check out the rest of the photos.



Ashley turned 22 today. She is stationed in Yuma, Arizona and recently moved into a house with her boyfriend, Robert. He seems like a decent guy and I enjoyed talking with him during their last visit.

Here is a quick shot I took of Skyler practicing his gymnastics. He usually just jumps off high furniture, but tonight he decided to stand on his head. Of course, it caused his bedtime to be pushed back quite a bit!

This week, we've enjoyed some fun weather! On Monday, Skyler and I enjoyed the cooler breeze and played in the backyard, throwing up his stuffed animals. By the look on Spongebob's face, I think they liked it, too. Yesterday, Skyler and I played in the rain.

Never miss the opportunity to play in the rain.

I have been glued to the television and computer a lot this week, learning all I could about the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake. This cute little boy was found alive after being buried for a couple of days. His smile upon seeing mom and after having a long sad face is very moving. I can't imagine how horrible the situation is there right now. I don't want to get into the horrible things that have happened or are currently happening, but I am just really glad to read positive stories like this.

Any problem that I may have seems extremely trivial in comparison.







God has blessed my life and I pray for those in need right now.

We had my parents and brother over to watch the Cardinals game (nail-biter!) and eat some pot roast. Skyler got both his grandpa and grandma into his bedroom closet to scare me. He had fun being a monster in the closet. I think my dad got a little claustrophobic.

Lukas brought his mom, Susan, and his grandma, Elsie over to play and hang out for a while. Skyler and Lukas played for hours and left a trail of toy debris all over the house! I enjoyed talking with grandma that afternoon.

I read, see, and hear about how bad the weather is around the country. Minus 50 degrees windchill? That's crazy! We've been enjoying 70 degree weather (notice Skyler in his shorts). Anyone who thinks Arizona isn't the best place to live on Earth is crazy. If you aren't jealous of our climate, you should be. Of course, we are always welcoming visitors to stay with us!

These are some photos I took after work today. It's so nice to be able to work in the yard and not have to worry about frostbite!

I was called for jury duty yesterday and ended up being in a large pool of potential jurors for a first degree murder case! The judge said it was scheduled to last about 6 weeks. I finally spoke to the judge, in front of the lawyers and the two defendants, about my job as a teacher and my responsibilities at work, asking to be released. The judge agreed as did both sides.

It was a very interesting two days and I am glad I got the opportunity to be a part of the judicial system. There were so many things I learned and experienced. There were hundreds of people waiting in the jury main room and about 135 potential jurors for this particular case. I was amazed to see so many responsible and friendly people. It was encouraging to be around honest, hardworking Americans that just want to do their part in serving in a civic duty.

A little regret is how I feel after asking to be released, but I would drive downtown again to serve as a potential juror in a heartbeat. Maybe next time I will be selected and be a part of making a decision in the judicial system.

I took some candid photos with my cellphone, being careful not to be noticed.

Check out the rest of the photos.

Skyler got to hang out with his friends, Nick and Quinn, and their parents, Mark and Jenny, on New Year's Day. He liked throwing snowballs (even after daddy hit him with one in the face). We drove up to their cabin in Pine, Arizona and just stayed the day. It was a short, but fun trip. On the way up, we nearly ran over half a dozen deer!

Check out the rest of the photos.