Under Construction

Sharon and I finally started working on the rest of the flooring down that Grandpa Laster so generously purchased for us. Everything seems to be going very well as you probably can tell from the pictures. I was very anxious about this project thinking every measurement had to be exactly perfect. Thank God for toe molding and air vent covers that cover up your mistakes. We had the flooring stacked in our hallway for awhile after it was moved from the guest room and our room when it was the master bedroom. Now Sharon and I share the guest room and Luke and Elaina share the master bedroom since they have much more stuff that we do. Admittedly I am not a handy man but now I think Sharon and I have the confidence to take on some other projects that we have put on hold. Thanks again to the Lasaters for their knowledge, generousity, and assistance in this matter.

Family Update

Andy is learning division in 3rd Grade. He is doing pretty well. Struggling a little bit since he is still learning to memorize higher numbers in multiplication. Sharon is looking into starting home schooling in a few weeks. Various reasons but the main one is Ethan's schedule of 3p - 12a Monday - Friday. Andy is really enjoying Mario Kart and the New Super Mario Bros Wii. He has completed the New Super Mario Bros Wii game after three weeks of having it.
Sammy enjoys playing New Super Mario Bros Wii with Andy. The game is actually four player but we only have 2 Wii Motes at this time so they like to play together. Sometimes Daddy joins in the action. We take turns playing together. Sammy is doing really well in school. He enjoys his friends and his teacher really enjoys having him.
Elaina enjoys playing New Super Mario Bros Wii as well. She kept telling Andy and Sammy that they have to save the princess. Of course when we first got it we had to tell her it would take awhile but now she is happy that Andy has. She likes playing the princess in Mario Kart as well. She is still our little princess dressing up every day in the Cinderella dress that Missawissa (Melissa) got her. Elaina also likes making Mii's on the Wii. She has made one named Barbie and another one named Cinderella.
Luke sat on the potty and went the other day. I played with him for awhile while he sat there. I have put him on the potty a few times this month. Our last child to get out of diapers! Luke also plays Wii Bowling. I have to help him hold down the B button but he swings pretty well by himself. He has gotten a few spares and one strike!

Kid Update

Andy is doing well in school. He was struggling a bit with multiplication but I think he is getting the hang of it. Timez Attack is a game that is helping as well as flash cards. He played soccer this fall season and his team did very well. Andy was mostly on defense and kept the ball away from their goal. His coach was impressed with how he improved over the season. Last week she said he was really aggressive and to keep eating toaster strudels (that was his breakfast that morning). Andy dressed up as a ninja for Halloween. Sharon took everyone to the trunk or treat at Grandmas church. I took them to Publix and then out into the neighborhood for some great candy grabs.
Sammy is really enjoying school and his teacher states that he is one of her best students. She stated that he would probably be the first one to start reading. Sammy was a pirate for Halloween. Sammy really enjoys playing Toontown and is doing really well as leveling up his character and doing toontasks. Sammy likes playing board games and card games as well. Sammy is enjoying playing soccer to.
Elaina is our little princess. She loves pink and loves to dress up. Like Mommy she also likes shoes. Elaina dressed up as a princess for Halloween. She also likes playing Toontown. She likes making new characters so she can dress them up. She likes playing the trolley games and fighting cogs to.
Luke is walking more and more with Mommy and Daddy. He is standing up by himself and walks with a toy that Grandma Beaver got him. He is not confident yet to go it on his own but I believe it will be any day now. Luke cheered for Sammy at this game but unfortunately when it came to Andy's game he was getting tired. Luke likes to put on different members of the families shoes. Right now he is working on some more teeth as well. Luke was Steve from blues clues for Halloween. He wasn't feeling well when we went trick or treating because of his teeth.
Sharon and I went on a five day cruise for our anniversary. We mostly rested and watched movies with Rifftrax while cruising. We visited Cozumel and Progresso Mexico. We just walked around for little bit at each port to see some sites.

Kids Update

Andy started 3rd grade last week. A few of his friends from 2nd grade are in his class. His best friend at school right now is named Alex but he is not in his class right now. They have played lazer tag together and we took them to bounce u a few weeks ago. Andy spent the night at this house as well.

Sammys first day of school. He went on a scavenger hunt to look for hands with hearts on them. He met the principal of the school and had a chicken sandwich for lunch. He made a friend but does not remember his name. The teacher had blocks and books. The teach read the kissing hand. Sammy got to sit on the carpet. It had green, red, blue, and yellow lines. Sammy is on the blue team. Sammy followed all the rules. Sammy stood in line real still. Sammy brought home some smarties because he didnt run off. Sammy sang music as well. Sammy sang the alphabet and another song that he does not remember. We got a 14 day pass for Toontown that I applied to Sammys account. He is very excited to have a "paid" account for a few weeks.

Elaina is playing on the computer for the most part by herself. She likes to watch Thomas and play Thomas games on the HIT Entertainment web site. She also likes building a birthday cake with Barney. She really likes pink, wearing dresses, and getting her nails painted.

Luke is walking on his knees. He is a little parrot and tries to repeat words that you say.

Double Daddy Date

I took Andy and Sammy out tonight for some fun. Andy got to go out because he is doing well and improving upon his scores on his report card. Sammy got to come because the last Daddy date was with Andy and he needed a turn.
We went to Go USA and played mini golf in the cold. Not too smart on my part but both boys stuck it out to finish the game. Sammy actually let Andy take his turn around the fourth hole because his hands were cold. Andy ended up taking Sammy's turn through the rest of the course because of the cold hands which Sammy kept in his coat. Sammy won the game through Andy's help of course. Sammy had 41, Andy has 54, and Daddy had 50. Sammy got a green ball, Andy a blue ball, and Daddy a red ball. There is a castle in the middle of the course where we lost Sammy's ball and I believe others have lost their ball so if you visit be forewarned.
Our next stop was Steak N Shake. Andy had a burger and cheese fries. Daddy had the Chili Mac Supreme. Sammy had chicken fingers and cheese fries. Andy and Sammy got Strawberry shakes. Daddy got a chocolate shake. I believe the meal was thoroughly enjoyed. They had cars for the kids that Daddy folded for Andy and Sammy. We also each got a Steak N Shake hat. We sat at the counter. Andy loves sitting at the counter.
Our last stop was Chuck E Cheese. We spent most of our time on skee ball where Daddy scored 480,000 points and won 250 tickets! That is my goal with each visit to Chuck E Cheese. We had a grand total of 724 tickets when we left. Andy and Sammy got a bunch of little toys. We got a heart bracelet for Elaina with a ring in it. Andy and Sammy got some cotton candy as well. Sammy got a little blue lizard, an airhead, and some plastic tic tac toe x's and o's. Andy got a goody bag, a Pirates of the Carribean notepad, and a few other misc items.

Andys Birthday Party

Andy had three friends over for his birthday party last night. It was a pirate themed party since he has been watching Pirates of the Caribbean lately. He had a pirate ship cake and we also had a treasure hunt. They watched Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and thanks to Mary Kathryn played the Pirates version of Life. Daddy wrote out sevens clues and each clue led to another until finally the treasure box was retrieved. It had glow sticks, parachute men, chocolate coins, bouncy balloons, and a pirate puzzle with cd. Below are the clues given to each location and some of the amusing responses.

Pirate Clues

Silverware Drawer

Shiny things found here
Eat with them each day
When you find them you will see
That they will really pay


Dryer

Clothes lose their wet
Search high and low
And I will bet
The treasure may glow


Bath Tub

Here you get clean
With soap all over
The water around you
Will help you discover


Car

This will take you places
Many of them have traces
Toward treasure you seek
Four wheels are on me


Mail Box
Receive letters in me
A container you see
Holds more that paper
Leading you towards treasure


Coat Hanging Up (they responded with Stove)

This will keep warm
Your arms and chest
Another chest you seek
As this hangs in view

Bathroom Sink

Wash your hands
Brush your teeth
A place for you
A treasure to seek

Trampoline

Bounce very high
Reach toward the sky
But down below
A treasure to show

With each clue they found they received a part of their pirate costume. It started with a pirate hat. The other parts were an eye patch, a mustache (drawn on by Mommy), a sash, and a sword.

Andy and his friends stayed up until 2am or more because thats when Daddy went to bed. Cyle crashed around 12am. Andy woke us up at 7am.

Kids Update

Andy has enjoyed two weeks of from school. He is doing well in school. There are some pictures on our web site from his Christmas party that Daddy got to attend. Andy got a bunch of Legos for Christmas that he really enjoys. Andy has found a new game on Cartoon Network's web site called Fusion Fall that he really enjoys to play. He also enjoys playing all the Lego games. Lego Star Wars, Lego Star Wars 2, Lego Indiana Jones, and Lego Batman.

Sammy also got a bunch of Legos for Christmas. He really enjoys playing Legos Mars Mission game on the Lego Web Site. Sammy has been talking about school a lot lately. He is very interested in learning. He loves to watch the microwave and oven as they count down the numbers. He knows all his letters. We work with him a bit on the sounds. He will count different items around the house some times. Sammy comes up to us at random and gives hugs and kisses that we really enjoy.

Elaina has completed potty training. She is doing very well with a few accidents here and there. She still asks "What are you doing?" a lot. She loves her Mommy and Daddy very much. She is a very pretty girl (in my humble opinion) and enjoys dressing up. She loves shoes like her Mommy. She likes to jump around the kitchen. She really enjoys the kitchen that she got for her birthday (her brothers do as well). She plays guns with us some times but is remorseful when someone gets shot.

Luke's skin is doing very well. He is crawling all over the house. His vocabulary consists of yummy, Mommy, and Daddy. He also says hi and bye sometimes. The rest of his speech sounds a bit like German. He feeds himself really well. He likes apple juice and milk. He got a huge bag of balls for Christmas that he loves.

Hope everyone has a great new year!