Catching Up

Wow! It's good to be back! Sorry to those of you who are better about checking blogs than I am. I have been dying to blog for days, but we have had major computer malfunction in the Nelson household lately. I finally have my computer back, but the hard drive is scrubbed clean. The good news is I didn't lose anything too significant--a few nursery files that I will have to recreate, and a really good blog article that I had worked on (in Word) for quite some time but hadn't felt led to publish yet. I had planned on downloading the pictures from our camera (last summer thru current) while we were on our trip and I'm soooo glad now that I didn't!

So I have several blogs written in my head and hope to have a chance to get them on a screen sometime soon!

So here are a few random thoughts to catch you up!

Ryan is nearing completion of his Master's paper. He has submitted all the chapters, but now has to go back and wrestle with the professor's comments and correct as needed. He was hoping the end was nearer than it is at this point.

I have instituted a new "anti-scheduling schedule" to be more proactive about the piles (and I mean that literally) of work that I have to get through in the week. I will tell you more about that later. One thing to note, it puts blogging/writing in general as a regular part of my week, so maybe I will have more posts.

Reed is the proud papa of a fish named Willie, who happens to be the third fish he has picked out. Third time's the charm. More on this later too. Let's just say we celebrated the fact that Jesus has victory over death first thing Easter morning! And also Easter Monday (in Canada, I think).

Ashton is in her new room--the pink room. We were worried about the transition, but she has adapted quite well. We did have to remove one of the paintings that was hung in there from "my room" at my grandma's house. It seemed to be girlie enough and fit in the room well, but she did not agree. She cried and pointed to it one night after the lights were off and said, "Dat scare me!!" We have removed it to the hallway and all is well. She also has a "new" doll house that we brought back from Ryan's parent's garage that was the first one made but his Grandpa and Grandma Nelson. It is very cool (with retro decor) and both kids love playing with it. Right now we do not have but a few pieces of doll furniture, but they have found that shoes work well for beds! (I did not even make that suggestion!)

Tacoma is loving the warm weather and insists that the back door remain open so he can let himself in and out at will. He has gotten a new collar tag since he chewed up the last one and has been venturing out over the fence and into the neighborhood lately. He is very good to come back and scratch at the front door when he is done. Reed opened it for him one day and said he knew it was him because "a people would knock or ring the bell and not scratch!"

My naptime alarm is going off in the other room. No more peace and quiet for me. That reminds me: Reed asked the other day what peace and quiet was anyway. I told him I was sure I didn't know anymore.