Single parenting at its best...

I'm hanging in there...26 hours and counting...while Don enjoys some quality time with Nathan in San Jose. They flew to the Bay Area yesterday, my dad picked them up at the airport, and then they met a good friend for "dinner with the boys" in San Jose. After steaks and catching up, they went to the Shark Tank and saw the Sharks shutout the visitors. It was only Phoenix, but still, a shut-out is a shut-out.

Today they're hanging out with my dad and Edith. Tomorrow night they get to go back to the Shark Tank. And Sunday they're coming home. Yes, I will need the cavalry by then!

The making of a snow man

Don took advantage of the new snow by showing Patience and Jordyn how to make a snowman.

A good time was had by all!

Nick at 4 months

He can roll over, roll off the couch (two times), reach for a toy, and make his jumperoo bounce! He's absolutely perfect.

Happy Birthday Sean!

Sean celebrated his birthday by going to cadets with a brand new rank insignia: Leading Seaman. After dinner he was rushing out the door to get to cadets and I snapped this shot. I didn't realize until now that it was blurry, but you get the idea : )

Pics for Y'all

Nick showing a little leg while pulling Patience's hair! He was going to town chewing on that toy in his hand before I came over with the camera...



Babysitting...it's a tough job but someone's gotta do it.

Just Hangin' Out

This wonderful Jumperoo was Santa's gift to Nick. He must have been a very good baby to receive such a gift!

Not much new to report today, except for dentist appointments for Dylan and Patience, and looking forward to a visit from Nathan tomorrow.

Sean turns 14 on Tuesday, and I'm so grateful to be out of the "I want to have a party" phase and onto the "Let's go out to dinner with my girlfriend" phase. That's much quieter and enjoyable, in my humble opinion.

Babies and their blankets

You can see how much my children love their "night nights," which my mother lovingly knits for all the little people in her life.

Major Me and Mini Me

Identical twins born almost 14 years apart!

Bumbo Baby!

Pam and Danica came over this past weekend and Pam brought over one of her twin's Bumbo seats for Nick. He loves it! And it's so nice to have another option for "holding" the baby.

Random pics of adorable children

This is how much snow we have. It stopped being beautiful and festive long ago. Now the rain is coming, so we're having a slushy mess. Rain boots are really a necessity right now if you don't want your feet to get soaking wet. Yes, I have lost my sense of humor about this.

Here is a familiar sight at our house: a girl pushing a doll in her stroller. Be careful of your ankles.

Here is Jordyn eating her snack (apple) while sitting with Nick. One of them smiles very well for the camera, while the other can only look wistful unless you bribe her.

Not to be outdone, Patience wants a picture of her in the chair with Nick.

Nick's 3-Month Appointment

was this afternoon. He weighs 13 1/2 pounds, so he has doubled his birth weight. He's 24 inches tall, in the 75th percentile for height and just under the 50th for weight. And in the 100th percentile for cuteness. That's a new thing they're tracking nowadays.

Here's a Tip...

When you're renovating your bathroom and you have to store your toilet somewhere, like the basement, tape the seat securely closed. You see, your 2-year-old won't understand that it's not hooked up to any plumbing, and will use it for its intended purpose. You won't know whether to laugh or cry. But you will call your husband to take care of the...problem. After all, this problem definitely falls under the "home maintenance and repair" category.

Bathroom Renovation

Well, it wouldn't be a real New Year if there wasn't a renovation involved! At least not for Don and Cathi Murphy...

This morning Don started dismantling the upstairs bathroom. It will receive a mostly cosmetic makeover (Lord willing) and will hopefully be back in commission next week. Until then we are a family of 6 using the same bathroom : )

The Bookends

Nathaniel Douglas and Nicholas David. Nicholas has wormed his way into Nathan's heart in a big way. Nathan says this is the baby he always wanted when I kept having girls!

Holiday Eating Tips

Thanks to my good friend, Heather, for this gem! Enjoy...

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare.. You cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3.If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hello?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple, Pumpkin, Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

Remember this motto to live by: "Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

More photos...

Watching Kung Fu Panda (or Bamboo Bear) for the umpteenth time.

What big eyes you have!

Tuesday morning photos

Nathan drove back to Seattle on Sunday evening so he could work on Monday...something about the military's rule that you can't have too many days off in a row without using leave. He worked until 1:00 and then drove home, stopping along the way to pick up cousin Hailey who was visiting her dad in the Seattle area, and then dropping her off in Bellingham. He got home last night just in time for crepes for dinner and then to watch the Sharks beat the Stars 3-1. So yeah, his life is pretty good right about now!

Dylan is working Monday through Wednesday this week for his chicken farming boss. I'm very happy about that especially sinced he asked for last weekend off (grrrrr...). I imagine that when Dylan gets home the boys and Lucille will do something fun.

Here is Nick napping in his favorite spot. You can see he has a firm grip on me lest I might try to put him down while he's sleeping.

Here is Patience and Alice, who has gotten a new life ever since Patience got a stroller, crib, and new clothes for her for Christmas. Baby Cootchie has been relegated to bed. When Patience saw this picture she said, "Alice wasn't looking at the camera!"

Portraiture by Patience.

Cuddles.

Nathan and Lucille.

More Christmas Morning...

Cribs and doll strollers from Grandma and Grandpa Steitz.

Jolly jumperoo from Santa.

Sand Table from Grandma and Grandpa Murphy.

The boys read their certificate for the Sharks vs. Ducks game/Disneyland trip.

Jordyn gets an American Girl Bitty Baby from Santa.

Patience gets a pink guitar from Santa.

Sibling bonds are forging...

'nuff said.