Fun Shop!

All us guys in the house are thankful for Gina for so many reasons, and one of those reasons is that she is extremely deft at seeking out fun and exciting activities for us to do as a family. One of those activities is a called Fun Shop. I asked some of my students if they had heard of this, and the response was unbelievably enthusiastic. Apparently it has been a monument on the Springfield social landscape for quite some time, and just about everyone here who has young children knows about it. Fun Shop, in a nutshell, is a learning environment for toddlers, where they come to the Fun Shop classroom with their parents once a week for one hour and a half. There is a train/truck/airplane section, a playhouse section, a puppet section, a loft, playdough, slides and other climbing toys, a water table, a big boat filled with rice and beans (like a sandbox) big toys and a reading center. There is actually much more, but I think you get the point. It's similar to what you would see in a preschool, except the parents don't drop the kids off. We play along with them and, generally, get to act like a kid.

We've been going for 3 weeks, and here is a rundown of how it has gone:

• Week 1: Sam did pretty well, but Nate pitched a wall-eyed fit. He thought we were dropping him off at the church nursery (at least that's my theory). The biggest meltdown came at the end when it was time to clean up.
• Week 2: Much better. Sam and Nate both did great, but Nate threw another tantrum when it was time to clean up. Any guesses about what Gina and I talked about working on more at home?
• Week 3: No fits. Nate didn't exactly help clean up, but he didn't scream and roll around while Gina cleaned up. She held him for most of the clean up time, but the fact that there was no weeping or gnashing of teeth is a step in the right direction.

We have 10 more weeks of Fun Shop, and my prediction is that both Sam and Nate will be helping clean up like champs by the time it's all done. Then I can show them how to use our vacuum cleaner at home. Here are some pictures so you can get an idea about the kinds of things they do. There are more photos in our web album.

Babycam is on the loose!

OK, I will be the first to admit that this whole filming babies nonsense is getting a little out of control. But who could resist? I mean, I have a nice video camera with night vision, and two babies asleep in the next room. I'm like a moth in the porchlight. The boys will appreciate this one day, as soon as they get over the initial terror that I might show these video to their girlfriends.

Bath Time

I know this was a common theme on our old blog, but bath time is no less of a party than it used to be. We've had to remove all toys that can hold water because they usually end up sloshed all over the floor, Gina and I, but it seems Sam and Nate have found other ways to entertain themselves. Specifically, each other.

Safety First

We recently bought Sam and Nate some bike helmets for riding in their Schwinn trailer. Neither of them are fond of the helmets, although Sam tolerates it a little better than Nate (for obvious reasons). Well yesterday, Sam brought his helmet to me and wanted to wear it. I put it on and clipped the straps, and he proceeded to wear it for about 45 minutes. I was in the middle of loading the car with clothes for a consignment sale, otherwise I would have gotten more pictures. It's funny how certain activities (playing with a barn set, stacking blocks, watching a video, etc.) look cuter when the baby is wearing a bike helmet. I think the same applies to babies and cowboy boots, but we don't have any of those yet. Hopefully, Sam will wear it more often and not resist so much, and more than that, I hope Nate notices and starts wanting to wear his.

I wanna rock!

Listen here, big brother. If you can't rock with the big dogs, then get off the couch.

Playmates

Gina and I have noticed that Sam and Nate are playing with each other more and more. They used to play around each other, and they still do some of that, but they seem to be interacting more. Of course, this has also ramped up the number of arguments, but hey, it's all part of the character building process.

New blog feature!

Thanks to Google and their new Voice service, you can now leave a voice message for Gina, Sam, Nate and I. If you look to the right of the screen, you will see a bubble with the words, "Call Me." Here is what you do to leave a voice message, and it's free!

1. Click the Call Me bubble.
2. A box will pop up
3. Enter your name
4. Enter the phone number of a phone close to you (e.g., your cell phone or home phone). Google will call you immediately, then forward you to our message box. Your number will not be published anywhere, but you still may choose to click the Keep Number Private box. If you do, Google will not tell me which number you used to call us.
5. Leave us a message
6. Hang up your phone when your message is complete
7. Click the End Call button on the blog
8. It's as easy as that. I will get an e-mail telling me we have a new message, and we can listen to it from our computer.

Take a minute to leave us a short message. We would love to hear your voice!

Casting crowns

A good friend of mine used to say that crowns are anything that bring glory to the wearer. I always thought this was a good reminder of how tempting it is to take  the things God has blessed us with -- our crowns -- then "wear" them in a way that brings glory to ourselves. Whether it's a job, money, fame, renown, status, talent ... a crown could be anything. It's hard to keep those things in perspective and not use them to bring glory to ourselves. On a slightly different note, Saturday was just about as close to perfect as you can get. We spent the morning riding bikes and playing in the park, then we went to a music festival in the afternoon. We capped the day off with baths, a story, prayers, a song and goodnight kisses. As the boys got their last minutes of playing in before bed, we talked about how big they've gotten and how much fun the day was. This was the kind of day I used to envision when we were awaiting their arrival into the world. We were both amazed at how much they are learning and how curious they are. We love taking them out and showing them off, as they charm just about everyone they see. It's also pretty natural to want to protect them and shield them from some of life's harsher experiences. Bullies, mean words, disappointment, , failure ... they are sure to encounter these and other hard realities. But we also know that this is part of the human experience, and no amount of effort on our part will make them immune from pain and hurting.

This brings me back to my friend. He said that crowns are anything that bring glory to the wearer. We can keep the crown and bring glory to ourselves. Or we can turn around and give the crown back to Jesus. He may keep it, or He may bless it and give it back to us for His glory and purpose. That's what we choose to do with Samuel and Nathaniel everyday. We acknowledge that God used miraculous circumstances to bring them into the world, and He has a divine plan for their lives. We know they are His and God has given us the privilege of raising them and witnessing each and every special moment. The same God who carried us through difficult times and heartache will be their strength no matter what awaits them in the future. In the meantime, we cherish every giggle and new word, endure all the food throwing and willful tantrums, and share their looks of amazement at new things, the snuggles, hugs and kisses. It's the best way I can imagine of honoring God for the abundance with which he has blessed us.

Just a walk in the park

Gina, the boys and I took advantage of the cool weather on Saturday by riding bikes to Washington Park, which is just down the street from our house. This was the first time I actually pulled the bike trailer behind the bike. I had just been using it as a glorified stroller. I can tell you, I am not sad at all that I never tried to pull the trailer in Charlottesville. The boys are HEAVY, and C'ville has a lot of big hills. I'm thinking Illinois is a much better place to start this tradition! After a brief ride, we stopped off at the playground and let the boys play for awhile. Nate, as usual, wanted to swing, and Sam liked the slide. It was a little big for him, though, and I had to slide down with him. It won't be long before they are doing these things independently, so I cherish these opportunities to play with them and watch them experience new things. The only thing I was nervous about were the Canadian geese. After a few run-ins with those things in Fort Collins, I am not a big fan. After they hissed at Sam and Nate, our time at the pond quickly ended.

We are going to a BBQ and Blues festival downtown this afternoon, where Nate is going to demonstrate the Virginia Shuffle for all these Illinois folks. I'll be happy to eat a pulled pork sandwich and watch all of the people. I think Gina wants to try the ribs. It seems like a fitting end to my first week of classes at UIS.

Boy, you've got some big shoes to fill

Sam has started trying to wear my and Gina's shoes. This started with slippers, but he has already moved up to my dress shoes or sneakers. I just wish we had some cowboy boots for him to try. Nathan isn't too interested in the shoes, but he does love jammin' to the beat!

Illinois State Fair

Move aside, Mr. Jefferson, we're in the Land of Lincoln now! On Sunday, we finally made it to the Illinois State Fair. It was Family Day, which means Gina and I got in for a discount. This also meant we were able to justify spending more money on all that healthy Fair food. All you Texans out there know exactly what I'm talking about. Battered, deep fried and served on a stick! They even had deep-fried candy bars, but that will have to wait until next year.

Sam and Nate loved all the sights, sounds and tastes of the fair, especially funnel cake. They were too small to ride any of the rides, but they did get to stand and watch the kiddie roller coaster and the trucks. They also saw the petting zoo with pigs, donkeys, calves and goats. The most intriguing part of the fair was the Band Organ, which you will see below. Nate also got inspired to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a tightrope walker.

We are all excited for the fair next year, and we definitely won't wait until the last day to go. By this time, the boys will be tall enough to ride some rides, and maybe I will work up the courage to ride some too. I will let you know how I enjoy the deep-fried candy bar. What's that my dentist hears? "Cha-ching, cha-ching!"

Cousins

One of Sam and Nate's favorite parts of their trip to Texas was playing with their cousins, Kierra, Zach and Kendall. One of the reasons we wanted to get them to Texas was so they could play with their cousins while everyone is still young. The boys are in such a cute stage and it passes so quickly. This is a great pic to commemorate the occasion! Thanks Carol for getting such a great photo!

A case of the Mondays

I mentioned to Gina this morning that today is the first Monday in a long time that I had to get up and head to a job. I had to be at orientation last week, but it didn't feel like going to work. I took the car and Gina just kind of hung out with the boys. Well, we have talked through our weekly schedule and today we got up and at 'em. Personally, I was a little tired of having such a slack schedule. Graduate school was a lot of work, but I was never really on a schedule of any kind. I had classes for two years, but other than that I kind of did things on my own schedule. This may sound like a good thing, but it takes a lot of self-discipline and a good system for remembering what is due and when.  I much prefer the traditional work schedule, even though my schedule is still far from the 9-5 life most people know. Gina and the boys and I had a great weekend. On Saturday we ran some errands and worked around the house. The boys now have a shiny new CD player and some new building blocks. We also got a bean bag, but I seem to be the one who has used it most. I'm sure the boys will find some creative use for it, such as a landing pad for diving off the fireplace hearth. On Sunday we went to church, then spent the rest of the afternoon at the Illinois State Fair. Videos and pictures are forthcoming. It was the last day of the fair, and I'm glad we went. It was inexpensive, fun and totally new for the boys. They were too short for any of the rides, but they will be ready to go next year. Of all the attractions at the fair, their favorite was the band organ. I guess they just love music, even if it's Polka music.

Comment feature fixed

If you have tried to leave a comment in the last 3 weeks or so, you probably noticed that my blog tried to get you to register. Well, that feature has been fixed, and now you can make comments without having to sign up for anything. Just so you know, when you have to enter your e-mail address to comment, no one sees that but me. I host this blog myself, rather than using Blogger or another third party, and your e-mail address isn't being put on a spam list or anything. So go ahead, fire off your comments. I know you want to!

Roll Call

Sam and Nate are starting to learn the names of some of their family members. If your name is omitted, just keep waiting for the sequel in a couple of months. Everyone will eventually get a turn.

Aunt Katie's Love Language

For those of you who know my sister, you know her love language is Target. The store. She loves it. A lot. Well, in honor of Aunt Katie, we re-enacted her favorite Saturday activity by going to the Target in Springfield. We got a new CD player for the boys, a bean bag and some new sippy cups. Katie, I thought you would like to know this. When you come visit, there is a Target and it's waiting for you to officially christen it. It's not as cool as that two-story monster in Boston with an elevator that will carry your cart. And it's not as homely as the one in Casper. It's somewhere in the middle, but still stocked with all kinds of red and white goodness.

Word up

Sam and Nate would like to showcase some of their vocabulary. Don't expect to understand what they are saying. Just nod, smile and ask more questions.

Sam the helper

Sam has learned how to help Mom and Dad out after a diaper change. This also explains why some of their toys are missing.

Night on the town

Gina and I had a chance to get out of the house for the evening and attend the Chancellor's dinner for new faculty at UIS. We worried at first that we might not be able to find a babysitter since we are new to town, but Gina quickly connected with a local group of moms of multiples and they were able to recommend someone. Our babysitter did a great job of feeding and putting the boys to bed, and when we got home they were still fast asleep. The dinner was a nice chance for us to meet some other couples and mingle with university's upper administration. You would be proud ... I kept my silly sense of humor suppressed for this event. The food was excellent, and we were entertained by a musical group after dinner comprised of faculty and people from the community.

We are looking forward to our next date and hope to get the boys out to some of these events, as well.

Tornado Alley

Today saw its fair share of drama when the tornado sirens went off. In a matter of 5 minutes, I got about 6 e-mails that basically went like this:

• The conditions are right for a tornado to form ...
• There has been some rotation observed in the storm passing through ...
• A tornado has been sighted but not confirmed ...
• A tornado has touched down approximately 11 miles from Springfield ...
• The tornado is heading toward Springfield and is 5 miles west of town ...
• The tornado has changed direction and is heading northeast ...

Gina called and asked if the sirens were going off at UIS. They were. I was instructed to head to the basement of my building. I called and told Gina to do the same thing. The faculty, staff and students had a big party in the basement of the Public Affairs Center (PAC), while Gina showed videos to the boys (until the power went out) and let them run around. The power was still out when it was time for me to come home, and Gina couldn't get the garage door open, so I rode the bus. I felt like I was back in Charlottesville. We finally got reunited and we swapped tornado stories. Neither of us were ever in any danger, and it caused more a disruption than anything. Hopefully this won't be a regular occurrence for us, but I have a feeling it might be.