this -n- that

This is the first week since the middle of May that has been "normal". And, if you know me, you know that I thrive on normal...maintaining life outside of that cadence becomes very tough for me. Some people (like my husband) love something new all the time. I like something new but not all the time. I mentioned in the last post that we've had company and birthdays and business trips galore. When Paul walked into the baggage claim area last Friday, I felt great relief. Life was back as it should be - with all of us under one roof for a while and nothing huge planned for a little bit.

Paul and I have started watching LOST. I know, I know, we are just a little bit behind since the series actually ended in May. To be honest, I didn't think I would be that interested in the show based on what I'd heard about it. However, I am totally addicted. We both are. And, we have been watching at least two episodes almost every night. We will put Jonas to bed, look at what we actually need to get done, and plan out how we can incorporate watching LOST into what we need to do in order to remain responsible individuals.

Jonas is changing so much. His vocabulary is growing every day, and he shows understanding of things that I have no idea where he learned them. Like yesterday, he used the word "down" in the proper directional context. Amazing. We are having a hard time with the paci addiction. I didn't want to have to go cold turkey on him, but I think that may be what we have to do. At his 2 year old check up, he weighed a whopping 24 lbs, 14 oz and stood 34 inches tall. He is a tall, skinny little boy. And, he is definitely all boy. This summer, he's had a lot of fun at the pool, going to PDO twice a week, and will enjoy a tumble class and swim lessons in a few weeks.

We have a little vacation planned for the middle of July. We are taking our annual anniversary trip but will be making a stop in Austin and Houston before making our way to Galveston for several days. I'm so excited!

The blog has been a little silent this summer. Partly because there has been so much going on and partly because I have writer's block. I often think "oh, I want to blog about this" and then either can't find the time or the energy to to do it. I am hopeful this will change soon.

30

There has been so much going on at our house the past month...birthdays, parties, visits from grandparents, business trips and even more birthdays. We've been overwhelmed, rushed, frenzied, and frazzled. But, we've also been celebrating, enjoying family, soaking up the calm moments, and looking forward to July.

Today, Paul is 30. We are so blessed to have him in our lives.

For 30 years, here are 30 things we love and adore about Paul...

1. he works really hard
2. he makes us laugh. a lot.
3. he's pretty smart
4. he is a forward thinker
5. he loves Jesus
6. he loves Jonas
7. he loves me
8. he is a really good gift-giver
9. he takes great care of our yard
10. he's a people person
11. people really like him
12. he respects that i'm not always a people person
13. he continually receives accolades from his bosses
14. he has a super sweet, unique bond with Jonas
15. he wants good things for our family
16. he's pretty darn good looking
17. he loves music
18. he is very talented in many areas
19. he can teach himself almost anything
20. he's strong
21. he's gentle
22. he's slow to speak
23. he's dad
24. he's hubs to me
25. he installed a security system so we would feel more safe
26. he can find great deals on stuff
27. he embraces my newest hobbies
28. he's a good friend
29. he pushes us to live out our values
30. he is respected by many