jack's new trick! ooh and ahh!

jack is walking! that's a fact, jack. he started saturday. he was in such a rush to get to grandma (my mom) that he took off. then we lined him up to see if he'd walk to grandpa, and he did! it was thrilling. now jack thinks he can walk everywhere. he is still slow and takes about 5 or 6 steps tops, but he's coming along. i am just tickled at the thought of jack walking up the aisle at Church to go into the "Birthday Box" for his first birthday. i'm a very proud mommy.

i bought jack a rain coat friday. it was raining. he needed new equipment.:) i got him a coat that makes him look like a little giraffe. i love it when strangers stop and comment on his cuteness.:) little old ladies are a sucker for my jackers.

new word: boo. as in peek-a-boo. i have taught him how to peek-a-boo, also. i got it on tape.
new trick that's coming along: throwing a kiss. it is lacking a kiss, and he needs to open up his fist. we will keep working on it.

random thought. i actually forgot one couple in my expecting list. my husband's cousin melanie is due any day now, i think. that makes 10 couples. another gift. a great excuse to go to itsy bitsy.

i love sunday school

i love teaching sunday school. my class is supposed to be 1-3 graders, but if someone is sick or etc., i can have kids ranging from 3 years old to 6 grade. it can be crazy, but i love it. the trick is to not bore the older kids while engaging the little ones.

case in point. yesterday i had jon (4 yrs. old in may), hannah (kindergarten?), andrew (1st), and sarah (3rd). my story was about stephen, the first martyr. intense, right? well, it turns out i was glad because a story about stoning is nice and violent and right up little jon's alley. although, i might have spooked him a bit when i demonstrated what it was like for the religious leaders to "gnash" on stephen with their teeth. i did it to hannah too, so he wasn't the only one gnashed.:)

these are the kid's drawings of "when they forgave someone". actually, jon's photo is of rocks filed by missles, hannah and andrew just drew bands of color, and sarah couldn't think of a time when she had forgiven anyone, so she just drew a hypothetical situation!:) i am married, so i thought of a recent forgiving and drew it right away, but that's personal.:)

whoa! a nice photo of me! don't faint now.

my parents bought jack this tonka truck. i took everyone else's photo with jack, and then my mom said, "what about you?". duh. i always forget to have people take photos of me with jack. and if i do, they usually look HORRIBLE. (wonders never cease, mom got this one on the first shot.) now that i got the digital camera i can try try again until i look decent! hooray! you might be seeing more of me.:) sorry to all of you who were contented with the photo of me in my wedding wings. this is molly updated. love it or leave it.

you know you want it...

the recipe for chocolate eclair cake, that is. it is wonderful. everything i remembered it to be. for all you ex-pat pcc people, here is the recipe. you are welcome.

Chocolate Eclair Cake

- 1 tubs of cool whip (or eqivalent whip cream)

- 2 packages vanilla or french vanilla pudding

- 3 cups milk

- box of graham crackers

- 1 can chocolate frosting

to make: Mix 2 pkg. of pudding with 3 c. milk. Whisk for 2 min. Let set for 5 min. Add cool whip. Break graham crackers in half and layer in bottom of cake pan. Add half the pudding/whip mixture. Add another layer of graham crackers. Cover with remaining pudding/whip mix. Add another layer of graham crackers. Refridgerate for 3 hours. Spread chocolate frosting on top.

i made this friday night. we ate it after only refrigerating for 2 hours. the graham crackers were still crunchy, but i couldn't wait any longer!:) it was much better the day after when the grahams got smooshy.

for those of you who want to see jack today

this photo was taken... today! o the wonder of a digital camera.

p

who "p"'d on the floor?

these are jack's new alphabet magnets. i awoke yesterday and this was the only one on the floor. i think it is not a coincidence that the letter "p" is yellow.

2 new words

jack says "button" now. he likes to play with the buttons on my shirt. today i think he said "dog". i am just waiting for the day that he says "oh shoot!", or "oh darn!", or "barnacles!". i remember when my niece, ele, started saying "bloody". that was fun.

i think congratulations are in order

well, this is overwhelming. there are so many babies impending that it is just nuts. i love it.
list of babies in order of most recent news. congrats to:
1. jenny (kofstad) and josh kidd
2. nora (plantz) and nick fletcher
3. tracey (malone) and husband
4. ina (luca) and todd drown
5. sarah (skog) and ben mowers
6. melissa and shawn aldridge
7. michelle and gabe aldridge
8. angie (potter) and matt miller
9. deissy and mark rosenbaum
and a special welcome to elijah wayne shadrick who is about a week old.

jack's new game

jack has a new game. i call it "ga". jack says "ga". then mommy says "ga". and back and forth. it is hilarious. i know i shouldn't be speaking "baby talk" to him... but i think this doesn't count. this is our game.

bush's tax rebate

this is not a political post. i don't think i would have voted for this tax rebate. i don't trust politics or politicans. this seems like a pretty socialist thing. yet, i will enjoy spending the money they are going to give me. i am not sending it back.:)

here is my list of things/ways my fam might spend the money (dan might have other ideas:)): new mattresses and beds for dan and i/andy/jack, garden seeds, patio furniture, jack's first birthday party (lots of meat for grillin' and a killer cake cost a lot).

what might you be spending the cash on? please tell.