Author: McAdmin
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Cousin Luke Comes to Town!
We got to have Pace’s cousin Nada and her son, Luke (from Tennessee) here for 2 days! Tiffany & Kyle picked them up at the airport, then we had a little play date with them before taking Nada & Luke home with us. Here are the second cousins (Kyle, Chase, Charlotte, & Luke):
I didn’t know how the boys would play together, but Chase LOVED having a “little brother” around! Luke kept talking to Chase, and repeated “Chase… Chase… Chase” all day long. Here are a few photos of them together. (Chase wanted to make a “serious face” for this photo:)
We took them up north to be with Daddy Darin, which was the end of all the fun around here! Chase keeps saying wistfully, “Luke moved away. Aw, sad!” Maybe we’ll get to see them again sometime within the next couple weeks while they’re still in the area (no pressure or anything, guys)!
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Keeping ’em on a schedule???
Charlotte is such a sweetie babe, and I just “eat her up” every day. I’m enjoying this easygoing baby so much! I’m glad she’s happy and healthy. I just have this one question lately… HOW do you keep a baby on a consistent schedule? I have read Babywise, Healthy Sleep Habits, and many other sleep books, but none of them seem do the trick for this girl staying on a good schedule. One thing that I think is helpful is that I don’t nurse her to sleep, like I did for Chase, so she doesn’t rely on that to get back to sleep.
I try to keep things regular (nap in the morning, nap in the middle of the day, and nap in the late afternoon, & regular bedtime). But then, she’ll randomly wake up really early in the morning, bright-eyed and smiley, which is indeed quite endearing. But this early waking throws everything off for the rest of the day (usually she wakes early because she has to poop or something). She’s also been having some short daytime “naplets” (especially when we go anywhere in the CAR), therefore needing to take more “naplets” to make it through the day, which messes everything up for night time. At night she gets up 2-3x per night, which I know is nothing compared to what Chase used to do… I’m noticing a recurring theme around here with my children! I mean, come on guys, I know I’m lots of fun to be around, but it’s okay if we don’t see each other all night long! 🙂 Ideas/similar experiences/comments/advice?
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Pioneer Day Festivities
One thing that I love about Utah is that there are so many kid-friendly activities going on for special occasions, especially in the summer time. I think this has been the best summer we’ve ever had as a family, because none of us has been sick or pregnant or anything! Also, Chase is old enough to enjoy all the games, crafts, and shows they have going on at these events. Today was a state holiday, but unfortunately Pace had to work anyway, so I asked Nathan and Rachel to come with us to a park in Provo that had all sorts of free activities going on.
There was an antique car show, including this sweet fire engine that we were able to sit on. Chase got to crank the old siren, too. I perhaps FORCED Nathan and Rachel to wear the cute little hats for this photo op!
We also enjoyed the Pioneer town, where there were people dressed up like pioneers, with realistic cabins, a blacksmith, etc.
Chase also liked the petting zoo and crafts, but didn’t play any games because we didn’t feel like standing in the long lines… sorry, Chase! He was consoled by the J-Dawgs & frozen yogurt we got afterwards, though.
We missed having Pace along with us, but it was fun having Rachel and Nathan to hang out with. They’re quite entertaining, and always SO helpful with the kids. Glad you came with us, N & R!
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LAN party from afar INSTRUCTIONS
Alright, who’s ready for this!? Ryan has setup the VPN and he and I have played a test game. It’s freaking AWESOME! So this Saturday 8pm-12pm EST we are having our first Warcraft III lan party from your own house, (or at your own mini party). If you want to play or if you think you’ll ever play in the future, leave a comment on this post so Ryan knows to make you some login credentials!
What do you need?
- Computer + network connection
- Full version of Warcraft, ROC and Frozen Throne, RUN UPDATES before playing!!
- Mic + Speakers
Mac OS 10.5:
- Download VPN software, Viscocity (30 day free, $9) or Tunnelblick (opensource).
- Download TeamSpeex app, drag to apps folder (install)
- Run your VPN software. Import connection settings from config file Ryan provides (each person has their own special credentials). I’m trying viscocity, so I go to preferences and click the plus sign, import connection, select ryansvpn.conf where I left it from downloading. Close prefs.
- Connect: click icon in menu bar and click Connect ryansvpn. You are now on the local network.
- Run TeamSpeex app, enter server: 10.14.80.98, put in your name and join. By default you join the main chat, if we play team games and only want to talk to teams you’ll have to bounce over and join the appropriate team channel. GAME ON!
10.4 or lower users, see comments
Windows
- Download VPN software, OpenVPN (opensource).
- Download TeamSpeak & install
- Run your VPN software. Import connection settings from config file Ryan provides (each person has their own special credentials).
- Connect: click connect to ryansvpn. You are now on the local network.
- Run TeamSpeak app, enter server: 10.14.80.98, put in your name and join. By default you join the main chat, if we play team games and only want to talk to teams you’ll have to bounce over and join the appropriate team channel. GAME ON!
Please post any question or concerns in the comments, Ryan and I played for about 30 minutes running teamspeak and it was SO fun to be able to talk and play sheepseekers. This is going to be AWESOME!
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Free Arbys Wed!!!
Don’t forget to stop by your local Arbys and ask if they are participating in free food wed. Today is a free roast burger (the best thing I’ve tasted in fast food) with purchase of a drink. Go get em!
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I can make it to Friday
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Funapalooza
Instructions for Fun Game:
Take 2 chairs and put them next to each other with their backs facing the stairs. Hang a blanket over them. Instant Puppet Show setting/Peekaboo location/Stage!
It was Chase’s idea to do a puppet show this morning, and he was even the one who thought of setting up chairs with a blanket over them. Charlotte and I sat on the ground below as instructed, playing the part of the enthralled/easily entertained audience, while Chase went to town. He sat on the stairs, using his hands and even his feet for “puppets.” Charlotte loved seeing just his hands and feet peeking over the blanket. Chase would occasionally pop his head up or crawl out under the chairs, much to Charlotte’s suspense and then utter shrieking delight. He added to the audience’s excitement when he hopped up on the chairs to jump and dance for a while on the “stage”. What fun! I mean, who wouldn’t enjoy watching “The Chase Channel” (as my mom likes to say). In my opinion, the cutest thing in the world is a little boy actively entertaining his baby sibling.
(Later, Chase had friends over, which is the #1 daily desire of his entire existence. They did another puppet show with little paper bags they had decorated. What fun! Hence the title of this post.)
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Luck or who you know?
So the day we were leaving for NC back in June, I got a sweet phone call from my buddy who works at a local radio station. Actually a voicemail b/c we were busy packing up the van. On the way to the airport I called him back via the radio station’s phone #. He didn’t answer. So I gave up figuring it wasn’t a big deal. Then the phone rang and I heard, “KBULL, who’s this?”, I went on to be caller 13, how lucky!! Joy and I won Kenny Chesney tickets, which was very very cool. Hopefully we’ll get a babysitter and have a nice date. Otherwise the tickets might get sold. Either way, lets give a big bull thanks to JJ!!! Thanks man.
[audio:PACE.mp3]
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I Don’t Recommend This…
I want to tell you about this little experience so you can be extra cautious, and NOT have it happen to you!!! On Friday, I ventured to the grocery store with the kids (always an action-packed adventure). I was pushing the cart, with Charlotte in the car seat in the small front section close to me, and Chase sitting in the big part of the cart. (Usually Chase won’t sit in the cart for the life of him, but on this particular occasion, he was insisting on the opposite– whatever.) Charlotte’s carseat handle was in the down position because she was a little fussy from teething so I kept taking her out to carry her for a minute, and then putting her back in, so I could more easily push the heavy cart.
I had just taken her out and then put her back into the carseat, and was reaching to grab some milk, when Chase somehow pushed down on her carseat handle, and all of a sudden it flipped over into the main part of the cart. In a split second I looked down to see the carseat upside down in the cart, heard Charlotte screaming and Chase crying, so I quickly flipped the carseat back over and scooped up my baby who was lying under the carseat in the cart (NOT a pretty sight). Charlotte was wailing in pain, and I guessed that Chase was just screaming because he knew something bad had happened. Amidst the kids’ screaming I noted that Charlotte’s poor little head was red and had white, slightly indented lines on it from the shopping cart, which told me that she had hit her head in the cart when she fell in. While comforting both of them, I opened up the infant ibuprofen I had just thrown in the cart, and gave some to her since I figured that in addition to the pain of her teeth coming in, she probably now had a headache. Needless to say, I held her the rest of the time, and didn’t dare put her back in the carseat while we were in the store! I hurriedly finished the shopping, experiencing those familiar mommy emotions where I was feeling overwhelmed by everything and trying not to break down & cry.
When we got back to the car, Charlotte fussed a little when I was putting her in the carseat, and Chase commented somberly, “I think she’s scared I’m going to tip her over again.” So we had a little talk on the way home about how that wasn’t his fault, that it was an accident, and we both hadn’t known that that would happen. He seemed to feel better about it after we discussed it.
I also called my mom for moral support and she said to just watch Charlotte’s behavior for the rest of the afternoon, which I did, and she seems completely fine, thank goodness.
SO just be careful when you take little ones shopping! I know I should have been more careful, even though I really had no idea that the carseat was so vulnerable on there. Here are different ways I could have avoided this: one is that I should have remembered to bring the Baby Bjorn and could have just carried Charlotte in there, but I had accidentally left it at home. And I should have had her buckled in at all times in the carseat, and I should have made Chase walk so that he wouldn’t have been so close to the apparently vulnerable baby seat… Just learn from my mistakes!