Rub a Dub Dub, Three Boys In a Tub

I wouldn't want anything to do with that water when they are done with it. :)

Vacation, Part 2

It was good to see some family while we were there too... We got to see my Aunt Connie, my cousins, and their eight precious children. My boys had an immediate love for their "tousins". They even watched the boys for me so I could do a little shopping on my own... now THAT was a treat!

We also got to see my Grandma Marilyn on my dad's side. She gave the boys "Thomas the Train" books, much to their delight.

Next we went to the Garden of the gods. The boys, and Calvin (yes, we are one of THOSE families who plan their vacation around where they can bring their dog...) loved hiking up the orange rocks, and the biggest bonus is that it wore them out!

Nate, Calvin and the boys at the Balanced Rock.

The next day we went to Helen Hunt Falls. I grew up going to this place and it is absolutely beautiful. The great thing is that it is not as well known and it's more of a local hang out rather than a tourist trap. The boys loved playing in the COLD stream and seeing the waterfall. Nate and I had brought all the hiking gear expecting to hike at least a little, but were quickly thrown back into reality that hiking with three under three is not the easiest, most practical, or wisest thing.

Then we went to this place called Mr. Biggs, and let me tell you...this. place. is. COOL. Nate and I always dream about starting a place like this in Altus, but this place exceded our dreams by a long shot. In an old warehouse building, all under one roof, there is bowling, arcades, go-carts, laser tag, good food, bouncy castles, and soooo much more. And that is not even mentioning the Little Kids Town where we hung out with the boys. There are about 20 rooms for little kids, each one themed with plenty of props such as a propped up car with play tools where the boys can fix a car, a beauty shop with curling irons (without the cords) and curlers, the biggest sand box we've ever seen, and much more. We all had a blast.

Caleb waits on some very high maintenence clients.

All in all, it was an awesome trip. So much fun and so many new memories.

Vacation, Part 1

We just made it back from our vacation to Colorado Springs. We had an absolute blast.!! It was really hard to leave. In the military, often times vacations are spent going to see immediate family, since you aren't stationed near them. For us, that means Kansas and Florida get most of our vacation time and dollars. Although we LOVE both Kansas and Florida, we wanted to go somewhere different this time and actually rest and spend time together as a family. Nate and I both have histories in Colorado Springs...Nate went to the Air Force Academy there and I have family there and have spent most of my childhood vacations there up until I got married. We've never been there together so we decided to go there and start building some memories there together.

Where to start...

I always overpack for vacations, and since our family is growing, and we took our big dog with us, I tried really really hard to pack light and not to bring a lot of "what if this happens" items. Every time I've gone to Colorado in summer, I've always packed jeans and a sweatshirt "just in case" but have never used them...so I skipped them this time. Well, the first two days we were there the high was 55 degrees. Boy those sweatshirts would have come in handy. We went to the zoo with the boys in their pajamas because it was the only pants they had. We bundled them up pretty well though.

All three snug a boos.

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was awesome. It gives you a workout climbing up the mountains to see the animals though. You don't feel as guilty eating that funnel cake when you have to take an uphill hike to see the tigers. :) My dear friend, Jen, came down from Denver to meet us at the zoo. It was great to see her and her kiddos, plus she had extra children's coats, which we were thankful for.

The zoo with a veiw.

My friend Jen and I with our children.

We also visited Nate's old stomping grounds at the Academy. He was cool to see the place where he endured hundreds of hours of torture, er, I mean, training. Corban took an instant liking to the place where daddy learned to fly planes and said he wants to be a Cadet when he grows up too. Oh boy.

The United States Air Force Academy Chapel with Nate on stroller duty (I had stroller duty on the downhill climb ;)

Next stop, Focus on the Family. Our boys loved playing here, and Nate and I are all about free fun. Although once we got to the bookstore, the "free" part stopped. Being the book-a-holics that we are, we spent a pretty penny there.

Corban and Caleb put on a show for us.

Love it! Can you tell how thrilled Nate is to put his face

in the cut out of a boy with a dog bone?

Another clap and dance and run around the stage show.

To be continued...

The Truth In Pictures

Everyone always posts the good pictures from a photo shoot. Here is a peek inside a real photo shoot involving three Tolle boys.

Caleb, I know it's naptime, but work with me here please...

Feet down Corban

Sit down Corban

Why the photographer kept asking two toddlers "Where's my nose?" is beyond me, of course they are going to point! And do you really think I'm gonna trust my two year old to hold my two month old? I don't think so!

Everyone is in their own private dream land apparently.


We settled on this one

Let's just say, we all needed a nap afterward.


More posts to come... I lost the cable for my camera (AGAIN!) but have a new one so hopefully we'll be back in business. A garage sale this weekend, and then a vacation to Colorado next week means busy times here, but I'll try my best to catch you up on the past month!

For the Grandparents

Here's Canaan loving his mobile... he starts screaming the second it turns off, but I spared you that part. :)

Randomness

One month old!!

I'm going to stop apologizing for not blogging often, because it will probably be hit and miss for awhile. Life is so busy in the throws of motherhood. When there is actually a 15 minute slot where everyone is content and happy, call me crazy, but little things like showering and eating and Facebook draw my attention much more than blogging, though I do miss writing and reading other people's blogs.

Canaan turned one month old this week. I think we are all pretty well adjusting to the new kid on the block. I even get out of the house with all three of them several times a week. However, this is not an easy feat...I love and adore my children but everywhere I go, I'm usually struggling to juggle keeping all of them within arm's reach. People give me looks of pity and usually say something like, "Wow, honey, you sure got your hands full!" (Duh!), "Wow, I'm gonna pray for you, cuz you are sure gonna need it!" (Thank you very much, I'll take all the prayer I can get!) and "Wow, your kids are really close in age." I don't mind the looks, the well meaning comments, and all the stories complete strangers love to tell about how many kids they had and how they managed to live through it.

I do mind the fact that people would pity me though. It makes me soooo sad that in general people view children as burdens instead of blessings. I hate that I would look frazzled and unorganized enough for people to feel sorry for me. It kind of makes me not want to go out in public, not because it's hard with three under three, but because I don't want to give the world a negative view of having more than 2.3 children, let alone having them in two and a half years.

But I digress...

All in all we are making it, and for the most part, just loving life. We've been in Altus for a year this past week and there was something about the one year mark that made this place feel more like "home".

Here are some pics of life the past couple of weeks... Enjoy!!

Canaan Tripp, four weeks old

Our squadron picnic

How could you say "no" to this puppy dog face?

Why, yes, those are buffalo in the background!

After literally 30 picture takes, this is the best one we got. :/

Corban prayed for outdoor toys and boy did God answer his little prayers. We literally went from having no outdoor toys to looking like we run a daycare in less than three weeks...I love garage sales and hand me downs. :)

And a rainbow after the storm always reminds us that God keeps His covenant with us. And their pretty!

Adjusting to Three under Three...

Well, Canaan is two and a half weeks now. Nate went back to work last Thursday and Nate's mom ("Abuela" as she is affectionately called by my boys) left last Saturday. And as life would have it, Corban's Mother's Day Out program ended last week as well for the summer. So, I've been on my own during the dayshift all of this week with the children (read: monsters).

Abuela and the boys

Three under three is a breeze. I don't know what people were worried about... HA! Just kidding!! Three has been an adjustment for sure. Nate and I had to go to Dallas over the weekend to get Canaan circumcized by a Rabbi (no offense to my medical friends...we just prefer the 10 second procedure over the 30 minute one...) and that was the first time we ventured out with all three of them by ourselves. We took up two carts at Toys R Us. TWO CARTS! Let me just remind you I can't push two carts by myself, so the chances of me leaving the house with all three of them by myself will be minimal for awhile.

The boys are all adjusting well for the most part. Canaan is settling in for the long haul in the Tolle house. All of our boys have had colic to a degree, and he carries on that tradition. Caleb and Corban love kissing him and Caleb does get jealous of him and we are trying to teach him to be gentle.

I am healing up slowly but surely. I'm sooooo tired all the time and am getting tired of feeling homebound, but all in all things are going well. Thankfully, the weather has been beautiful and we have spent a lot of time in the backyard. And we are not living in complete filth yet, which is always a bonus. :)

Corban has such an imagination and pretends to be a different cartoon character every day. Mostly he says that he is "Boots", Caleb is "Dora", Daddy is "Diego", Canaan is "Benny the Bull" and guess who Mommy gets to be?...the "Grumpy old Troll." Nice. Nate told him that he and Caleb are "two peas in a pod" and Corban said, "Yeah, we are two pees in the potty."

I love my boys!! Well, that's the update for now...I need to get some rest.

In Case You Haven't Heard...

Canaan Tripp Tolle was born on Monday, May 4th at 12:56 p.m. He weighed 8 lbs, 7 oz., and was 20 inches long.

I had a Muppet Head for an anesthesiologist. First he tried a spinal block which only served to shoot stinging sharp pains down my left leg, to which I screamed and cried (bawled, actually) until they decided that it wasn't working and they decided to do an epidural (which I was much more comfortable with, since I've had three in my past). But the Muppet only was able to numb my right side this time. The doctor started to cut into me and I said "I can feel that!" and they told me that they were only through the second layer and so they would have to knock me completely out. They next thing I said was "can someone let my husband know..." and then I blacked out completely.

The next thing I remember is waking up (barely) and there is stone silence as I'm being rolled down the hall. I asked through my grogginess, "Do I have a baby?" but was so scared that something went wrong during the delivery. The nurse replied, "Yes, he's with his daddy" and I was so relieved that I blacked out again.

When I woke up in the recovery room, I was so loopy and out of it that I don't remember much, but I met my beautiful baby boy who sported a full head of brown hair, and resembled his brothers in many ways.

I must say that this has been my hardest recovery yet. Note: 3 cesarean sections in two and a half years is NOT recommended. I'm just now starting to be able to get out of bed without excruciating pain. But of course it's all worth it...

In case you are wondering about Canaan's name... "Canaan" was the Promised Land in the Bible, and literally means "Humble". "Tripp" means "the third" and is also the namesake of one of our favorite authors...we thought it appropriate since he is our third son.

Both boys are adjusting well to their new baby brother. Caleb is so curious about his baby and Corban is eager to try and help.

Nate's mom is here to help with the transition, which has been a blessing. I'm dreading next Monday when I am all on my own with this three active boys.

We've been sooooo blessed by our military family here and our church family in Lawton. My friends here threw me a shower where they showered us with tons of diapers and frozen meals (which was a GREAT idea!) and our church gave us a shower with sweet handmade gifts and a generous cash gift that helped us get some much needed outdoor toys that all the boys will enjoy. We were again humbled by how God has greatly provided us all of our needs and even some of our wants!

Thank you all for sharing in our joy. I am so blessed to be the mother of these sweet boys. I'm just sad it all goes so fast. Here is a little part of one of Nate and I's favorite poems:

"Settle down cobwebs, dust go to sleep,

I'm rocking my baby, 'cause babies don't keep"

Nate and I often remind each other that "Babies don't keep" as we truely try to enjoy each moment with our boys. I know that the next few years are going to be crazy, busy, and chaotic with three under three, but I don't want to wish this season away, I want to cherish each moment, because it goes too fast.

Well, I have a newborn who's crying, so I guess I better sign off...

Twas the Night Before Canaan...

So in about twelve hours from when I write this, I will be heading out to meet my third baby boy...I am so excited!

Corban was 9 lbs. 4 oz.s two weeks early, Caleb was 7 lbs. 2 oz. two weeks early, so my guess is that Canaan will fall right in the middle at 8 lbs. 3 oz. I have a red head, a blondie, and would LOVE it if the dominant Hispanic genes on both Nate and I's side will step up to the plate and give us a dark haired baby. Both of my boys so far have been born bald and have stayed bald their entire first year, so if Canaan is born with a head full of hair, that would make my day.

But of course we will love him no matter what he looks like...

Well, we will try to update you all and post pictures as soon as reasonably possible. We are so excited to meet our newest little blessing. If you think about it, please pray for us in the upcoming days...we're gonna need it!

Two Weeks To Go!!

Two weeks to go!!!

...Or less, but shhhh....we are not hoping for that. (Babies are much easier to care for when they are contained...;) Our calendar has something on it every single day until the Big Day, which is scheduled for Monday, May 4th.

We are so relieved to have Nate's sweet Mama coming out on the 30th from Florida to help out with our bambinos while I am recovering.

This week I am dedicating my life to a Children's Consignment Sale in Lawton. If you volunteer three hours or more you get to shop before it opens to the public. My only motivation is the hope of finding some outdoor toys for my boys (i.e. plastic playhouse, picnic table, basketball goal, climbing cube, slide, etc.) Now that we have a dog and are attempting a garden, we need something for our boys to play with outdoors. And holy cow, new outdoor toys are ridiculously expensive...to the point where Nate again declares that we are in the wrong business. I mean seriously, how Fisher Price and Little Tikes can charge hundreds of dollars for a few pieces of neon plastic that fade in the sun within months is just pure robbery. But I digress. So, think of me volunteering my 9 month preggo self on Thursday all for (Lord-willing) a few long sought after outdoor toys.

Next week we are heading to Oklahoma City for a couple of days for some doctor appts. for the boys. This will be my last chance for some shopping in civilization before Canaan's arrival. Target and Babies R Us, here we come!

We have been incredibly blessed by those around us lately, and feel like we have some sense of a support system here now, which is a huge blessing. Nesting has begun in full force and I am literally working my tail off sun up to sun down trying to get our house in order to run smoothly for at least two months post baby. There are many more projects to do, but the essentials are done.

Please pray for us these next couple of weeks, if we come to mind. There are so many unknowns and details to work out. Being an hour away from the hospital brings extra work and planning, and I have been having a lot of anxiety. I am getting so excited for the snuggly newborn stage though and can't wait to meet the newest Tolle. We'll keep you posted...

Scoot N' Skate

Our town has this new activity for toddlers called "Scoot N' Skate" where they can bring a ride on toy and have free reign of the local skating rink. And boy do my kids love it. Worth every penny.


And yes, Corban is wearing big boy skates. Where does the time go, I wonder. Thankfully, the wheels were so tight that he pretty much just walked in them.

Easter Sunday

Sunday Mornings

Our family drives an hour to church each week (because it's the only reformed church in a bazillion mile radius, but that's another story) and after the hour drive (which our kids are perfect for) they have all this energy to burn. So we try to arrive 20-30 minutes early so they can burn some of their all boy energy before being expected to sit still and quiet in the sancturary for two hours (a feat we have yet to accomplish, but again, that's another story.)

So here are our cherubs this past Sunday...it's funny because there are some toys in this nursery that have dates on them circa 1963-1985...it brings Nate and I back to the good ol' days every Sunday morning. Caleb has been trying to conquer the slide on his own for the past several months and has finally accomplished it, much to his jubilation. Can you believe this little man will be a brother in 4 weeks or less??

Carnival Craziness...

We had a carnival come to town this weekend. That's a really smart move on the part of the carnival company...bringing something to do to a town with nothing...I'm sure they made a killing off of all of us. Not that anything that sets up over twenty rides in half a day is extremely safe or reliable, but what can I say, the Tolle's were desperate. :)

Corban had an absolute blast. He rode his first little roller coaster...all by himself! After about six times around I asked the carnie to stop it because Corban was looking a little green and scared. When he got off I asked him if he was a little scared and he said, "No, no mommy, I NOT scared!! I go on da roarer coasta again!!" What a big boy.

Caleb was over stimulated from the start and couldn't even handle the merry-go-round, which seems to be right in line with his cantankerous personality. But I still love him to itty-bitty pieces.

Caleb did however, enjoy his first funnel cake. He literally gobbled half of it down and the rest of us split the other half.

All in all a fun time!

Our Newest Family Member...

Oh boy, it's been awhile. In my last blogging hiatus, I mentioned life not being busy or intersting enough to blog about, but this blogging hiatus is due to quite the opposite. We've been busy! And I've been wiped out!

The newest member in our family is our dog, Calvin. We've had him for a couple of weeks now and he is pretty precious. Had I written this post prior to Sunday, I could have said that he completely loves the boys and is 100% gentle with them despite them racing their cars down his back, Caleb pulling his hair, and Corban thinking he is a horse. But, unfortunately, Sunday evening the boys were playing in the other room and we heard a growl and a scream and Caleb got his nose bitten and now sports a big scratch on his face. According to Corban, Caleb bit the dog first and then "Talvin ate Taleb". Who knows, but it served a reminder to us that no matter how sweet the dog is, in the end it still is a DOG and we shouldn't leave an animal alone with our babies.

Anyone who has ever had a discussion with Nate about pets, has heard his mantra of "People inside, animals outside." Every discussion we've ever had about getting a pet ended with this reasoning. So, a few weeks back I was in Lawton and saw these puppies for sale that were way too precious. They were Austrailian Shepherd mixes and so I came home and told Nate about them and we researched the important things that a) they are good with children and b) they are outdoor dogs. So when we went back to get a puppy, they were all gone and we were truly disappointed. I could have taken this as a sign that life is too busy right now to add a dog to the "Needs Love and Attention" list I have in my life, but those who know us know that we are gluttons for punishment and if our plate isn't completly full, we get bored. So... I "Craiglisted" our dog and found him in a town about an hour away. He had been abandoned twice, but the lady at the pound said that he was the sweetest of them all and her own children loved him to death. Plus he had been an outdoor dog at the pound for the past six months, so we thought he'd be a great match...

Well... guess who is NOT an outdoor dog and is sleeping on my leather couch!! And let's just say that I was not the "softie" in this situation. Mr. "People inside, Animals outside" has turned into quite the dog lover. We feel good about rescueing a dog from the pound and feel so blessed that he is generally good with our kids and is already housebroken, etc. A good deal all the way around.

On a side note, I've realized that it may not have been the wisest thing to name all of our children and the dog with "C" names. I go through the entire list before I get the right name with the right child (or animal.). Even though Canaan is not here yet, his name is thrown in there as well usually. And I've realized that even the dog is male, so I am truly, truly the queen of this house.

It's Time To Grow Up!

I think Caleb just woke up this morning and decided this was the day he was going to start walking. Prior to today, he has taken one or two steps here and there...and then last week he took about eight for my friend Amy, and since then he has been on a walking strike. Nothing for over a week, not even a step or two.

Then all of the sudden this morning he decides it's time to walk. I just happened to be recording a video of the boys and then he just took off. Here is the video we were recording right before the magic happened (Nate doing some exercises with the boys):



And here is Caleb twenty seconds later.



And ever since he's been trying all day to walk. He can even get himself to the standing position from the ground without holding on to a table or shelf or anything.

My baby is growing up!


Also, I think Corban decided that it was time to be potty-trained. I hadn't decided if I really wanted to undergo the challenge of potty training him before the baby came or not. Honestly, sometimes it is just easier to change a diaper, but Corban suddenly has the desire and the skill to be potty trained. We have a while to go, but he is definitely catching on and is a self starter.

He has a sticker chart and everytime he fills up a line with stickers, he gets a special treat (usually in the form of sugar.) He is very motivated by stickers apparently as he takes off his pants several times a day and wants to go potty. Here's a video from his first day on the potty. He apparently caught on fast that potty time can double as reading time.

I Flew Daddy's Airplane Mommy!!

I coordinate the Base Playgroup every Friday here. It's one of the few regular things that we have to look forward to each week that gets us out of the house and gives me a chance to talk with other grown up people. But the hardest thing about planning Playgroups are coming up with locations in a small town, without wearing them into the ground. Let's see, there's the two decent parks in town (weather permitting), McDonald's Playland (but by Friday most people have been there like twice already that week), the Base Gym where the kids can run and throw balls, and the Gymnastics Academy who graciously lets us use there building a couple times a month. So any ideas that are new and different are always welcome.

One of my friends recently asked if there was any way that Nate could arrange it to let her son see one of the airplanes "up close.", since her husband works in the legal office and doesn't have access to the planes. I thought it was worth a shot and maybe Corban could come too since he has never really seen his daddy's plane either. All of the sudden, it was a light bulb moment for me. A new playgroup location was born.

Sooooo.... This really cute stud arranged it so the playgroup could take a tour of the KC-135 yesterday. UnfortuNATEly, that handsome pilot was not able to be there for the event due to a last minute scheduling conflict. Everyone had a blast though. A bus came to pick us up and drive us out to the plane (and for 90% of the kids, I think the bus ride was 90% of the fun!) Corban absolutely loved it and was so excited that he got to sit in the pilot's seat and "fly da airpane."


Corban and his friends got full control over the cockpit. I really really hope they didn't mess anything up too bad, because they were sure pushing a lot of buttons. There are safety checks before they take off, right??

Corban talked all day about how the tires were bigger than him.

Corban and friends checking out the "boom pad" aka where the boom operator moves the doo-hickey into the other plane and passes gas (I know, technical speak!)

Corban, Eliana, and Autumn in their flight suits. Notice Corban's snowboots in the 70 degree weather. He wouldn't leave the house without some "flight boots like daddy's." I had to improvise. I'm surprised he didn't throw a fit when Eliana got to wear an actual flight cap.

The whole gang, minus Corban, who snuck off BY HIMSELF back onto the bus and was waiting for everyone. He gave me a heart attack when I couldn't find him...you'd think the bus driver would have noticed a two year old boy getting on the bus all alone. Oh well, I'm just sooo happy he wasn't lost on the flight line, in the plane or run over by the bus.

It was a fun morning, but wore me out! All three of us took long naps that afternoon. And Corban is STILL talking about how he flew Daddy's airplane. And the big tires. And the bus.

15 Minutes Of Peace and Quiet. And then...

On nights that Nate is home, he always blesses me by giving the boys a bath and giving me 15-20 minutes of peace and quiet all to my own self.



When that small time allotment is done, I hear a chorus of boys yelling for "Mama!!"...my signal it's time to come help with the bedtime routine.


Just for fun, I taped this nightly tradition. I absolutely love Caleb's expression in this video.



I love love love love love my boys!!

Happy Birthday Caleb!!

Caleb Asher joined our family a year ago today. It's been a long year and usually when kids turn one I think "Wow, it seems like s/he was born yesterday" but honestly it feels like he should be one already. It seems that he has just always been with us, I hardly remember life without the both of them.

The only thing that throws me off is his size. Corban was a giant at one year old and Caleb- well most people in the store guess that he is about eight or nine months. He's a tiny little man, but lately he has been packing on the pounds, much to my relief.

With Corban's first birthday, we had the whole big birthday bash...rented a moonwalk, had a BBQ and had way too many people over for the festivities. But when it came down to it, the party was for us, not for him.

With Caleb, we skipped all the pomp and circumstance formalities and kept it on the extremely simple side. Do I feel guilty??? A little bit...but he doesn't know the difference right? He got a exactly two small presents (both which Corban claimed as "mine" instantly) and some chocolate cupcakes with sprinkles.

And he loved it.

So did Corban.

Caleb is just one of the best babies ever. He is such a blessing to us. He's just a totally different kid than Corban is and was at this age, and we are thankful for the uniqueness of both of them. Caleb thinks he's big and keeps up well with the big kids (Corban and his friends). He has his mama's temper and already the boys literally fight each other for toys. And Caleb can hold his own. This next video is of extremely poor quality and will probably be of no interest to anyone other than the grandparents (fair warning!) but it definitley shows that Caleb is able to defend himself when necessary. (Ignore the fact that I laugh when Caleb smacks Corban...I really don't encourage violence and selfishness in this house...)

I love this little boy and am so thankful for one precious year with him. And pray for many many many more.

Unintentional Blogging Hiatus

So I haven't blogged much this month. Although I can't think of any super stellar reasons why not, here are a couple of reasons:

a) I don't want to be one of "those" blogs that document every single breath my boys take and expect the rest of the world to be as excited as I am. (i.e. Documenting every step of Caleb's transition from formula to cow's milk, daily progress on walking, every knew phrase Corban says...you know what I mean. And those in blog world know what kind of blog I am talking about :) But I admit, that's pretty much what I would have been posting if I had blogged. My life is just not that interesting on the computer screen (though I love it!!).


I love these matching jackets!!

b) I had some computer issues for about a week and a half which is my biggest reason.

But since I haven't blogged in about 21 days, here are 21 highlights from the past few weeks.

1) Nate turned 30 (a.k.a. "OLD!", but of course when I turn 30 in December, the new definition of "OLD" will be 40. :)

2) Such a monumental occasion required a trip out of Altus. So we went to Kansas for a four day weekend.

3) Nate and I got to go to the Cosmosphere by ourselves and actually had time to read the markers in the Hall of Space Museum without having to change a diaper, find a snack, or wipe a nose. (Thanks Grammy!!)

4) We also got to go out to dinner and to a club to watch the game by ourselves, which was also a treat. Nate picked a new (to us) restaurant, Savutes Italian Ristorante and the Stick and Rudder Club. The food was EXCELLENT. And the company couldn't be beat. (Thanks Grampa and Letta for watching the boys!)

5) My friend Amy and I learned how to make homemade tortillas from my friend Jen and am now convinced that's the only way to have a tortilla. And Nate completley agrees, so we are looking for a tortilla press on Ebay.

6) I took a sewing class from my friend Jen (same gal who taught me to make tortillas...what a gal!) and learned to sew a zipper on. And made two pillows in the process. :)

7) Switched my OB/GYN care to Lawton (wahoo!), though now I have to drive an hour for my visits, bloodwork, etc. But worth the relief. I'd talked to three girls who all had c-sections in Altus and none of them had a good experience or is healing right...NO THANK YOU!

8) Had not one, but TWO, snow days. Which is funny because the total accumulation was 1/4 of an inch. Never would Wichita have closed schools for this much snow/ice, but alas, we get TWO days off for it, and I'm not complaining!

9) I fell down the stairs and was out of commission for a full day (and am STILL sore, darn rotator cuff and tailbone!) but the baby seems fine.

10) Corban's vocabulary grows by leaps and bounds every day. As do his strong opinions and bossiness. ("No, daddy, you not change my big bad poopies...Mommy do it!!" Um, yeah...I'm sure Nate had NOTHING to do with Corban deciding that only I can change him. :/)

11) Caleb, at one week shy of one year, can say "Mama", "More", "Milk", "Uh oh", "Woof, Woof" "Bup up up" (as in an airplane goes up up up), and roar like a lion (which I will try to get on video...it's the cutest thing). Pure genius, I tell you! Here is a short video of him "woofing" like a dog if you listen closely.

12) Made homemade granola, aka "my new favorite cereal."

13) Made homemade Cranberry Orange bread.

14) Made homemade Hot Cranberry Citrus drink, or "Hot Juice" as Corban calls it.

15) Spent a lot of wasted time being uncontent and then realized how much energy it steals from me and recommitted to being joyful in all things.

16) Working on my goals. It's almost time for a review!

17) Started reading my Chronological Bible that Janet gave me (thanks, Janet!!) and am loving it!

18) Trying to convince Corban that big boys go potty in the toilet, but not getting very far.

19) Researching a new washer and dryer to purchase in the next month or two.

20) Trying to think of a middle name for Canaan.

21) I got flowers from Nate "just because." I love that man!

A New Year, A Fresh Start

Well, Nate and I had our annual pow-wow last night where we write out the goals for the upcoming year. I love the New Year and I love having an anniversary on New Year's Eve. It just feels like a complete fresh start all the way around.

We have determined that this is our year to focus inward. Focus on building our family, ourselves, and our home. There will be other years where we can be involved in every Bible Study, every social outing, and minister to a ton of people outside our family, but this year our main focus is going to be on growing in our faith, our family, our health, our vision, and our needs.

So here are some of our goals for 2009, broken up in sections, of course. :) We have a lot more under each category, but these are the ones that we will make public.

Spiritual

1) Read the entire Bible as a family. To be completley honost, we try to do this every year and just fall off the wagon somewhere in March. We've read Genesis and Matthew several times and never quite make it to Malacai or Revelation. We are gonna start in the middle this year though.

2) Work with the boys on the catechism during breakfast time.

3) Continue with family singing time at bed-time, but repeating songs each night so Corban can learn the words and sing along.

4) Have personal quiet time in the mornings before the boys wake up.

Educational

1) Nate to start his Master's this year

2) For me to work with Corban for three hours a week, one-on-one on "school". (My plan is to do this the mornings he doesn't have Mother's Day Out during Caleb's morning nap.)

3) To potty-train Corban

Physical/Dietary

1) To focus on eating right with moderate activity during this pregnancy with healthy weight gain.

2) For Nate and I to meet two times a week during lunch to workout on base, and to loose the baby weight from all three boys one day at a time.

3) To eat out only one time per week.

4) Due to recent health problems, continue to cut out almost all sugar intake, processed foods, and make things from scratch instead of purchasing shortcuts from the store.

5)Plan meals to avoid eating out and wasting food.

6) To take the time to look nice and take care of our "temple".

7) To broaden our recipe horizons...especially in the area of vegetables and whole grains.

8) Spend more time outside, no matter what the weather is like.

Entertainment

1) To limit our TV watching and choose to read more.

2) If the T.V. is on, than be productive while watching it (i.e. fold clothes, plan menu, etc.)

3) To have at least one date per month.

4) To laugh every day (not a hard goal with little kids in the house)

Financial

1) To remain out of debt (except for our house), tithe faithfully, and give sacrificially

2) To start funds for each of the boys.

3) Continue to max out our retirement funds and explore other investment options.

Home

1) To have our home 15 minutes from "company ready" at all times. We don't have to live spotlessly, I just don't like having heart attacks when the doorbell rings.

2) To follow simple, but flexible, routines for the boys and for cleaning that make life easier, not more stressful.

3) To find a cheap, used piano and relearn how to play.

4) Declutter every inch of our home of things we don't use, don't love, and/or don't need.

5) Do SOMETHING to decorate our Master bedroom.

6) Be consistent about disciplining the boys.

Personal

1) To be an encouragment and helpmeet to Nate, not a "constant dripping."

2) To take time to scrapbook, journal, read, etc.

3) To keep in touch better with family and old friends...especially those without Facebook and the Internet.

Well, those are some of our goals. We plan to review them each month on our hour drive to church. We know that we can't change in our own strength and ask the Lord to give us strength to do His will and to bless our endeavors as we seek to glorify Him.

What are some of your goals for the New Year?

The Happiest Day of My Life

I can't believe it's been three years! On New Year's Eve of 2005, I had the honor and priviledge of becoming the wife of Nate Tolle. All of my single days I anxiously anticipated meeting "the one" for me. I prayed every night that God would bring him to me soon. And then I met this cool new guy at church named Nate. I knew from the moment we had our first coversation that this was the guy that I wanted for me. And I prayed he was the one that God wanted for me too. We pretty much met and married in nine months, which seemed fast to many, but we were convinced that "when you know, you know, so why wait?"

I always dreamed that marriage would be great, but friends, I never knew it could be THIS great. Yes, marriage takes work and can be hard, but the rewards of having a life mate who loves you in spite of all your sinfulness and ugliness, the beauty of two people becoming one unit, the safety of knowing we can count on each other for anything, and the joy of living life together with a common purpose and mission is truly a beautiful and miraculous thing.


Nate and I have gone through a lot in three years of marriage. Sick family members, a teenage foster child, numerous deployments, a miscarriage, and a move just barely scratch the surface of trials we've faced. But every single one has brought us closer together. We've shared numerous joys together as well. Three children in three and a half years to name the biggest ones.

I could write and write and write on this topic as it is one close to my heart and I feel very passionately about, but here is my main point. Life together with Nate really is a wonderful life. He's my best friend, my rock, my confidante, and true soul mate.

Happy third anniversary Nate! I love you!!

Our Sonogram

On the ceiling of the ultrasound room there were:
52 heavily textured, large tiles on the ceiling,
8 florecent lights (not turned on)
3 dim round lights (turned on)
2 fire sprinkliers,
1 smoke detector, and
1 heating vent

And why would I know this in great detail??? Because apparently in Altus, your spouse can not come in the sonogram room and you are not allowed to see the sonogram screen until the exam is over (about 45 minutes later). So.... I waited and waited and waited as the sono tech did the exam with a stoic face...neither confirming or denying my fears that my baby has three arms, two heads, etc. I obviously had nothing better to do than count the ceiling tiles.

Finally, after 45 minutes, they went and got Nate, and took five minutes to show us the baby's head, arms, and penis.

Yep, you read that correctly. We are having a (third!) BOY!!!! I was RIGHT!!! The good thing is we don't need to buy a thing. We have everything (and then some) for a little boy. I am tired at the thought of three little boys running around here but excited that they will all be close in age and the best of friends (Lord willing!)

We praise God for this little life. He seems to have all the appropriate number of body parts and is becoming very active, just like his brothers.

Thanks for your vote! I know several of you were rooting for a girl. Maybe someday. :)

And a tip to the many Altus mommies going in for their sonogram soon: Bring a book!

Christmas Morning Part 2

Nate helping Corban fly the kite he got in his stocking.

Caleb Asher

The sweetest boys ever.

Corban's train table. He still is playing with it 24/7.

Fun with the stocking stuffers.

Um, sorry Caleb, those M & M's are for daddy.

Babies first Christmas.

Corban drinking his hot cranberry drink.

Christmas Morning Part 1

Well, hooray for me, I finally jumped into the 21st century and figured out how to post videos on here. Now you get to see even more of what really goes on in the Tolle house. And you'll probably get sick of our videos from here on out. Here are a couple of videos from Christmas morning.

This first one is after we opened the stockings and Corban got a train in his. The boys were entertained for an hour with their stocking stuffers and so we decided to eat breakfast before diving into the presents.



This second video is of Corban after he discovered what was supposed to be the "Grand Finale Gift". Unfortunatley, he found it right after breakfast. Getting him to open any other presents was a huge, all morning chore.



We had a great Christmas. Every second of the day was memorable and enjoyable. Why can't I put on that great of an attitude year round?

Hope you all had a great day as well.

Our Christmas Letter

Dear Family and Friends,

C is for Caleb Asher, who joined the Tolle family on February 4th of this year. He is such a happy baby and brings much joy to our family.

H is for Home for the Holidays- It’s been so nice to have Nate home for the holidays this year, as he missed them all last year while deployed. We are looking forward to starting some family traditions with the boys that will hopefully be carried on for years to come. We also celebrate our third anniversary this month. It seems like yesterday and forever ago all at once…

R is for Relocation- We were so excited to find out where Uncle Sam was going to assign us after Wichita. Would it be Japan?…Alaska?…Florida?…maybe even England? What’s that Uncle Sam???… Altus, Oklahoma??? We were very surprised to move just four and a half hours southwest of Wichita, KS to a small, secluded town in Oklahoma. We are an hour and a half away from the nearest Target and an hour away from a Home Depot, Lowes, Hobby Lobby, and pretty much any other store besides Wal-Mart, which is by my definition, the “boondocks.” It was definitely not on the “Wish List” but, like all things, was ordained for us for this season of life. We are adjusting and even learning to enjoy life here.

I is for Incredibly Blessed- We have been overwhelmed with our multitude of blessings this past year. We have everything we need and most of our wants. God continues to bless us with a great marriage, healthy boys, loving family, fun friends, and a host of other blessings.

S is for Storm- Two days after closing on our house here in Altus, our town was hit by a tornado and our house had some major damage. Major as in $25,000 worth of damage. Not exactly the Oklahoma welcome we had been hoping for. On the bright side, our house now has all new carpet, paint, a new roof, a new air conditioner, a new wooden fence, and some other repairs that put some equity into the house. Although we literally have a bomb shelter/storm shelter in our back yard, we are hoping for a much calmer storm season come spring.

T is for Two! Corban turned two years old in September. He is definitely all boy and has fully entered the “Transportation Obsession Stage”. Planes, trains, and automobiles fill up his hours in some way or another. He is such a sweet spirited boy who is very curious about everything and is scared of absolutely nothing.

M is for Making Altus Home- We have settled in pretty well into our new digs. We found a church about an hour away that we are members at. We are involved in a weekly playgroup on base that I help coordinate. Corban goes to Mother’s Day Out at a local church a couple days a week where he has a blast and I get our house clean. We are making some great friends and are just enjoying being together as a family. Life is much simpler here which in most cases, is a good thing.

A is for Adventures in Traveling. We spent six weeks in Alabama in April and May while Nate went through training. While he worked his tail off, the rest of us got to have a blast exploring Montgomery and all it had to offer, make new friends, and play, play, play. We also got to go home to Wichita several times since being here and even got to make our annual trek out to Ft. Lauderdale last month to see Nate’s family. I have to say that our children are great travelers and I love our little mini-van, which makes travel with little ones a breeze.

S is for SURPISE! Not too long ago, we found out we were expecting Baby Tolle Numero Tres. S/he will join our family around the first part of May ’09. After this baby, we don’t know what the Lord has for us, but we have a passion to adopt. We’ll see in time what the Lord does!

May the Lord richly bless you and keep you this Christmas season. He is so faithful.

Much love and Merry Christmas,
Nate, Audrey, Corban, and Caleb

Baby's Gender Poll

I've added a poll to the sidebar where you can guess the baby's gender. So take a guess!!

Halfway There

Well, I hit the 20 week milestone this week signifying that I'm halfway through this pregnancy. Actually, since I will have a scheduled C-Section this time a couple of weeks early, that puts me well past the halfway point.

I'm starting to feel the baby move a little. Caleb and Corban were both very active by 20 weeks, so of course I think something is wrong when I barely feel anything by this point in this pregnancy. Nothing appears to be wrong, I just don't have the peaceful, easy feeling I had with the other two.

We still don't know what we are having. I could write several blog posts on the OB/GYN care in a small town, but I will try to keep my bitterness to myself and highlight a few minor points. First thing about it is that there is one, yes one, place that sees pregnant women in this town. There are three women doctors who alternate seeing patients and whichever one of them is on call is the one who delivers your baby, or sees you at your appointment, or whatever. So there is no consistent care.

Second, they disagree among themselves. I went to the ER yesterday because I was so sore I could hardly walk. The doctor on call at the time said it was an infection and sent me home with an antibiotic. At my follow up appointment this morning with a different doctor, she told me "they send everyone home with an antibiotic. Stop taking it." So I ask, "Is there another reason that I am so sore then?" and she answers very sarcastically, "Well, you have been pregnant three times in a very short period of time, what do you expect?"

Does anyone else see how this can be frustrating? I mean I go to the doctor for care, not lectures, and I expect some sign that whatever doctor that is assigned to me for that particular moment has some sort of experience and expertise in the area. Not conflicting opinions by colleagues. None of the three doctors are known for a good, or even moderate bedside manner. In fact, from my experiences, they've been quite rude.

But, there is no one else to go to, so what's a girl to do? Nate and I are seriously praying about switching over to the care in Lawton. The only downside is that it's an hour away for appointments and when it comes time to deliver, it just makes it that much harder to be an hour away from home and the boys.

On the upside, next Tuesday, the 30th, we finally find out what we are having. I'm still leaning towards a boy, but I've been wrong before. In fact, I was wrong both times. I thought both of these active boys were girls. Third times the charm. Either to be right, or to have a girl. Either way, I win.

I'm starting to freak out at the fact that in four months I will have three under three! There is so much that needs to happen before then. Nate and I have all sorts of plans and resolutions starting at the New Year to get this household ready for a baby in an orderly and peaceful fashion. I'll keep you posted as to how this actually turns out.

Christmas Chain Letter

Here is this years edition of the Christmas Chain Letter.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Any other time of the year it is gift bags, but for Christmas, only wrapping paper.

2. Real tree or Artificial? I grew up with an artificial tree but have been brain-washed by my husband that a Real tree is the only way to go.

3. When do you put up the tree? The day after Thanksgiving.

4. When do you take the tree down? Typically, New Years Day, unless I'm just ready to "be done".

5. Do you like eggnog? On rare occasions. I'd never buy it, but if it's served at a party or something, I'll usually try it.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? A plastic microphone. (Out of all the expensive gifts my parents sacrificed to get me, my favorite was the cheap dollar store plastic microphone. Hot pink as I recall...)

7. Hardest person to buy for? Nate- he never thinks he needs anything. And really he doesn't.

8. Easiest person to buy for? Corban-anything will make him happy.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, a Willow Tree one that I am still collecting peices for.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Ideally, snail mail. But at this rate, this year might have to be email cards.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Acne Face Wash (if you don't know who gave this to me, than I'll spare him the embarrassment. ;))

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Story

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Black Friday at 4:00 a.m.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Um...yeah.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Fudge, Toffee, Peanut butter balls.

16. Lights on the tree? Of course, this year they are white twinkly ones.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Little Drummer Boy, Do you Hear What I Hear, O Come O Come Emmanuel.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home as a family.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? Yeah.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? This year a really gaudy glittery star. However, I was born on Christmas Day and was sent home from the hospital with a red knit santa hat as a baby and my family has been known to stick that on top of the tree in years we were in a bind.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We open one present Christmas Eve and the rest early early early Christmas morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Greedy people, Commercialism, Lawsuits over Nativity Scenes (Come on people...seriously???)

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? No theme per say, just a delicate balance of making our tree "personal' without being total white trashy, and elegant enough without being cold. Most of our decorations are leftover from our wedding though (we were married New year's Eve.)

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Pizza or Mexican. I've never had either of these for Christmas dinner, but they are my favorite. I have on many occasions had Chinese food on Christmas because there is a place in my hometown that gives free birthday dinners on your birthday, and they were actually open on Christmas.

25. What do you put in stockings? Toiletries, candy, items from the Dollar Tree, and a few fun items.

26. What do you want for Christmas this year? My boys to have a blast and to make some fun family memories. And for Nate to get me a little something that I didn't buy for myself and then say "it's from you."

Now it's your turn to answer these questions on your blog!!

And just for fun, here is a picture of our Christmas Tree this year.

The Arctic Blast

As I mentioned in the previous post, we have "An Arctic Blast" headed our way. Last week when we had an "Arctic Blast" headed our way, it turned out to be just cold and rainy, but I'm hoping for a little more action this week. On the news, the meteorologist said to go ahead and get some milk and bread in advance, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

However, one thing about our house here, is that we loose power A LOT. One week, we lost power six times. And probably at least once a week, we loose power for just a couple seconds or so. It's just so annoying to half to reset all the clocks every single week.

And we definitley loose power everytime the wind gets above 25 miles an hour here, which again is like every week. They didn't write the song "OOOOOOOOOOOOOk-lahoma where the wind comes sweeping through the plains" for nothing!

All that to say, that I'm sure if you add ice, sleet, or snow to the wind and the cold, it would be a miracle to not loose power. So, Nate and I decided we definitely need to have a backup heat source for the babies should this happen.

First we had to buy a new wood holder because someone stole ours right out of our yard (Come on people, it wasn't by the dumpster or the curb, so it's not FREE). Corban loved helping his daddy put it together.

Then Nate and I had to move the wood from the back of his truck to the wood holder. (It really weighed his truck down!) This pregnant mama was sore after moving this wood!

This should hopefully get us through the winter.

Next we initiated our house with a nice toasty fire.

And all of my boys had to be near it to get it started.

Have a toasty winter!!

Christmas in Oklahoma

We've been keeping pretty busy lately with all that Altus has to offer. Any other time, I would use the phrase "all that Altus has to offer" pretty tongue in cheek, but apparently, Altus likes Christmas time, because we've been busy having lots of family fun.

First it was Nate's work Christmas Party. My dad and Coletta came to town to watch the boys so Nate and I could go. We reserved them back in late September for the weekend because apparently, the three baby-sitters in town book way in advance.

Five minutes before Nate and I are heading out the door, Nate tells me I need to pack an overnight bag because he booked a room for us at the "resort" where the party was being held. (I use quotes, because I question a place that has Cowboy/Southwestern themed decor as being a resort. But that's just me.) As sweet as this thought was, a mama needs more than five minutes notice that she is going to be away from her precious baby for the first time for a WHOLE NIGHT (at least this mama does!). Luckily, Nate got me out the door with bag in hand, and Dad and Coletta seemed more than capable of taking care of our little buddies.

This was the view from our room. Not exactly Colorado Springs, but not the flatlands of Kansas either. We had a good time. Santa even visited the Christmas party and had a special present for Nate. Santa told Nate that he is having to cut back on making toys due to the economical situation of the world and at this rate Nate and I are "making babies faster than he and his elves can make toys" and so Santa gave Nate a pack of Neon condoms for Christmas. Thanks, Santa.

Then we had the Altus Christmas Parade which the boys thought was a blast.

Next, Altus has this event called "Christmas In the Park" where the city park is literally all lit up with Christmas lights. Imagine the Griswald's house in "Christmas Vacation" and then apply that to the entire park and you'll get the picture. The park has a free train ride, which has occupied our evenings many times this past month.

Then there was the children's Christmas party at Nate's work. Corban got to talk to Santa and tell him "I love trains." Corban tells us all the time..."I love you, mommy. I love you daddy. I love trains." Overall, Corban is pretty much unimpressed with the Santa concept, which is more than ok with us.

Corban got to decorate his own cookie and get his face painted. Does life get better?

And finally, Altus does this event called "Candy Cane Cash" where you earn tickets by shopping at local merchants over a months time and then there is a drawing for $10,000 cash plus $2,500 in other prizes in the city square. Today was the drawing. When we got out of the van, it was 79 degrees. Within a half hour, the cold front ("Arctic Blast" as the news calls it...) came through and it literally dropped 35 degrees in a half hours time. We got too cold to wait in the city square and so we waited in the van and listened by radio.

Unfortunately, I was not a winner.

So, that's what's been keeping us busy lately. It's been a fun month for some family memories.

Baggage

It wasn't until this weekend that I realized... Nate and I sure come with a lot of baggage!!

Christmas Special

In case you missed out on all the Black Friday deals and even the Cyber Monday deals...have I got a deal for you.....

Two for one, with free shipping!

And some free kisses to go with 'em.

Our Thanksgiving Weekend

Our family was really bummed not to be able to go home to Kansas for Thanksgiving, but many reasons prevented us from doing so. But being a "Black Friday" shopaholic, I couldn't bear spending Black Friday in a town where my only shopping option was Wal-Mart.

So Nate and I decided to order our Thanksgiving Meal from the Club on base. Though it wasn't our most elaborate Thanksgiving ever, it was special to spend it together as a family. We had an impromptu Thanksgiving feast the night before with our dear friends, the Thomas family, which was so special to us, and counted that as our "real" Thanksgiving meal. But our club meal was our back up meal which served it's purpose.

Then, we loaded up the van, and headed south about 75 minutes to Wichita Falls, TX. We stayed in a great hotel at a reasonable price (gotta love military discounts!!) and had a great weekend. Our hotel had a pool which kept the boys happy. We went to Chuck E. Cheese to use up some tokens that have been sitting in our van for over six months now.

And no trip is complete without a random tent in a parking lot with free viewing of caged animals. The poor animals acted starved and practically attacked me as I tried to feed them the goat food. And though I'm not a PETA spokesperson, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the tiger in the 6' by 4' cage.

And of course, I got to go shopping!! Like hardcore, in the store by 4:30 a.m. kind of shopping. I can honostly say that every year Black Friday is crazy, but this was THE CRAZIEST Black Friday I've EVER experienced. I don't know if the deals were that great, or if it was the economy that got people out trying to catch a deal, but it was nuts! Luckily no one got shot or trampled like in other parts of the country, but I heard many people say that they "will never do this again" and I hope they are right, for my shopping sake.

Luckily, Wal-Mart matches local competitors prices, so that was my first stop (Don't cry Dad!). Then I hit a great Christian bookstore/Homeschool store with lots of good deals. Toys R Us, Target, Hobby Lobby, you name it, I was there. I got some great deals and am over 90% done with our Christmas shopping. I'd take a picture of our loot, but I have a feeling, some of the recipients of these gifts may be reading this. ;)

And if you think my husband was just being generous watching the boys in the hotel room while I shopped our savings away, let me clear that up. The deal was, I got to shop, and he'd watch the boys. And in the evenings, he'd go see a movie in an actual movie theatre and I'd watch the boys. And the afternoons we spent together as a family.

On Saturday, we headed back to the Boonies and went to a Christmas Tree Farm to pick out our Christmas Tree. We even got to chop it down ourselves! (by "we" of course I mean "Nate".)

So that was our weekend in a nutshell. Never a dull moment in the Tolle house.

For those who can help...

My heart has been touched by this little girl, Lily, who is fighting a rare form of cancer. Her family is good friends with our good friends, and if A=B, and B=C, than A=C, and that makes this family our friends too (by my elementary calculations).

The family blog can be read here. The family has three other children and must keep the house clean and all germs at bay to keep Lily healthy as she goes through chemo. I can't imagine needing to do this and take care of a sick child, and three others without help.

There is another blog set up to take donations to help out this family with the extra costs endured during this trial. If you are as touched by this family as I was, and can make a donation to help them during this time, please do. Go here for more information.

And please pray for the Mallory family, they need all the prayers they can get.

I've got so much, so much, so much to be Thankful for!!

If anyone knows the song "I've got so much, so much, so much to be thankful for..." than you now know the song that has been the constant background music in our family the last few days. Even as I write this, I hear Corban sleeping on his mat in the hotel singing "so much so much so much so much" (the only words of the song he really knows...). If you ask him what he's so thankful for he will point to the sky and say "Airplanes!". Which, our family does need to be thankful for airplanes, since they kind of pay our bills...

Anyway we DO have so much to be thankful for. In no particular order, I am thankful for

1) The most precious-hearted husband who absolutely adores me. He sacrifices so much for us, works 12 hour days and then comes home and helps me clean the house, bathe the boys, gives me a little bit of time to be alone. He never says a word when he comes home to me wearing the same pajamas that I was wearing when he left the house that morning. I honestly have never seen a daddy love on his boys and just enjoy them as much as Nate does his boys. He would really rather hang out with his boys than go out for a "Guy's night". He listens to me vent and then gently reminds me of how blessed I am. What can I say, I found me a good one.

2) My boys. They are a piece of heaven and I can't imagine life without them. They daily remind us that life can change drastically with the next breath we take, so we truly strive to just enjoy and capture every moment with them that we can.

3) We are very blessed. There is nothing that our family needs. Nate is constantly reminding me that if the biggest complaints in life that I can come up with is having to live in the boondocks, and having too much stuff for our house, than we are doing pretty good. Also, Nate's job. Although it sometimes requires sacrifice, it is a steady paycheck with job security during these tough financial times.

4) Family-both my family and Nate's. Both put the FUN in dysfunction, but life would be so boring and lonely without them. At the end of the day, they always have our backs. :)

5) Friends- My "sisters" back in Wichita who think so much like me, I don't seem like the weird one when I'm with them. My friends here who have become like family in such a short time. My friends all over who I get to keep in touch with via email, blogs, and Facebook! (thank God for technology!).

6) Do I dare say it?? I'm thankful for being stationed in Altus, OK. There I said it. Though not our choice, we have found it to be a blessing that we are here. We are close enough to family to visit fairly often, we are "off the radar" so to speak where we feel safe here, Nate doesn't deploy and is home every night (the biggest blessing of all), we have a lot of family time and have to be more creative as to how to have fun, and if we weren't here, we would never know some of the people who have become so precious to us.

There are so many other blessings big and small (big=our eternal salvation and current freedom to worship and small=coffee, down comforters, Christmas lights, etc.) but these scratch the surface.

I hope you all had a great and safe Thanksgiving. My next post will be about our Black Friday Extravaganza and our Christmas Tree Selection Process.

Better Late Than Never...

Here are the pictures of the boys in their costumes. We scored big time on the candy and my waistline is paying the price (though I blame the pregnancy!).

Good eye if you noticed that Caleb is wearing a different costume in each picture. That's what happens when you got a little pooper on your hands!

Fun with the Family in Florida

I know I've been a slacker in the blogging department. What can I say, life has been busy. But hopefully I can get back in the swing of things and blog on a regular basis again.

We got back last week from visiting Nate's family in Boca Raton, Florida. The week went by way too fast, of course, but was a much needed time away from Altus and it was great to reconnect with his family again. Here are some of the highlights of the trip.

10) All of Nate's family (thirteen of us total) rented a five bedroom condo for the week. It had a pool in the backyard, so Corban and the kids were in heaven.

9) Corban and Caleb had constant attention and always had someone to hold them and play with them, and it wasn't US!
Corban and his Aunt Celia
8) Caleb's first visit to the ocean, and Corban's first time that he remembers. He still talks about "da beach".

7) Nate and I and the boys got the Master bedroom with the jacuzzi!! (It pays to have the biggest family!) Unfortunately, we also got the bed with the bedbugs. (Yes, Kevin, they were bedbugs!! :))

6) A break from cooking... each couple took an evening to cook and we got to eat different things like Mom's famous Taco Salad, Julia and Kevin's Crab Bake, and Celia's Enchiladas.

5) I again rejoined civilization and enjoyed Panera, Jason's Deli, Macaroni Grill, Target, and a Christian Bookstore.
Caleb and his Uncle Stevie

4) Activities including the West Palm Beach Zoo, Sugar Sand Park, and Ice cream in Mizner park.

3) Playing the most political game of Monopoly ever where every move made a person either Obama or McCain.

2) Getting a nice long date with Nate. We ate at a fancy restaurant in Mizner Park and then went to a lounge bar where Nate drank a beer and I drank Coke and we just talked for hours and enjoyed each others company.

1) Having the best and happiest little travelers in the world. Both of them did great on the plane, the long layover, and the two and a half hour drive home after landing. (Another sign that we live in the boondocks.)

Thanks family for a wonderful vacation.!! Sorry we got you all sick! We love you all so much. Corban mentions you all daily. See you next year in Orlando ??!!??

I've been Tagged!!

I just got "Tagged" by my friend Erin (who I met in Alabama) to do a random post, so here goes.

Rules:
1) Post the rules on your blog
2) Write 6 random things about yourself
3) Tag 6 other people at the end of your post

1) I just got back from Florida 24 hours ago and our luggage didn't arrive, so they have to UPS it from Oklahoma City to Altus and it won't be here til Monday...so Nate and I are currently sharing a toothbrush!! (Gross, I know!)

2) My oldest son, Corban's, new favorite phrase is "Dat's Ahwshome!!" (That's awesome!)

3) My nine month old son is STILL not sleeping through the night. I'm 15 weeks pregnant with baby #3 and a Mama needs her rest, if you know what I'm saying!

4) My number one biggest time killer is cyber stalking my friends through Facebook and blogs.

5) For my birthday/Christmas/anniversary present (all happen within six days of each other) I want 24 hours to myself in a bed and breakfast nearby. Time to journal, read, scrapbook, plan, soul search, etc.

6) I'm starving right now and am debating whether to rough it out for the night or muster up the energy to go downstairs and get something to eat. Decisions, Decisions.



Now onto tagging six other people:

Ruth
Jen
Kirsten
Sandy
Lenora
Rena

On a side note, we just got back from Florida and I have a lot of posts and pictures that I want to share, but the camera is in the lost luggage bag, so it may be a few days before I get some real posts up. Check back soon!

The Best Things in Life Aren't Things

Feeding the ducks (Altus skyline in the background :P)
Sweet happy baby
I love this little boy!!!
"Daddy, I hold you!!"
Our Growing Family

Yep, Another Tax Write Off

Well, it's official, come Mother's Day of 2009, we will have another tax write off! We recently found out that we are expecting Baby Tolle number three. (Right after I finally got used to two!) I am ten and a half weeks. We thought 16 months between babies were close, 14 and a 1/2 months is even closer! Yikes! (On a side note, I am surprised by the countless friends I have all due around early to mid-May. What was going on in mid-August?? :))

We are still in shock and until our first appointment today, were pretty much in denial. There's something about seeing the little peanut on the sonogram and seeing his heart beat that just really puts it in perspective and pushes you into reality.

Here are the answers to some questions we've gotten from previous pregnancies that I'll go ahead and knock out now...

1) Yes, we were *surprised*. We have yet to "plan" a child, but Nate and I both know that children are a huge blessing from the Lord, and who are we to deny a blessing? Even if he comes to us a little sooner than expected.

2) Yes, I'm feeling good for the most part, just EXTREMELY EXHAUSTED. Let's just say, our house is a pig sty right now.

3) I know that I know that I know that I know that it is a boy. We just work that way apparently. And yes, he will have a "C" name.

4) Yes, I think we are finally catching on to "what causes this".

Thanks for celebrating with us, and for those who can, drink a glass of wine for me!

This made me happy today!

We paid $2.59 per gallon for gas today...wahoo! There is at least one good thing that comes out of a troubled economy.

Nate and I have been trying to pinch pennies these past few months (even more than usual) due to the rising costs of living life...though our nation doesn't even know the meaning of the term "discomfort" (i.e. we are not forced to ration bread, sugar, gas, meat, etc...we really don't have it that bad!). Here are a list of 10 things we've done recently to save money.

1) We keep our thermostat at 76 degrees during the day during the summer and 78 at night. (I know, I know, no menopausal women will want to come hang out with us!)

2) We are eating at home more...not sure if this is necessarily to save money or if the options in Altus just aren't really worthy of our hard earned money, but hey the result is saved money. We do however, look up recipes online to restaurants we miss and make them at home. We've made PF Chang's Mongolian Beef, Johnny Carino's Spicy Ramano Chicken, and Olive Garden's Zuppo Tuscana to name a few.

3) The water is nasty here, even when filtered, so Nate and I drink more bottled water that we stock up on at the commissary case lot sales. And when we drink pop, we take advantage of Sonic's Happy Hour for half priced drinks and slushes. We'll be in big trouble if/when Sonic ends this deal!

4) We shop at Walgreens for their rebates and coupon sales. Just this past month we got over $85.00 in free health and beauty products and stocked up on some really cheap Huggies diapers. I'd never shop at Walgreens for something full price, but they have a great rebate system that you can score some great freebies and can submit the rebate form online and you don't even have to remember to mail it in.

5) We buy only used clothes and toys. Seriously, not even Corban's birthday presents were brand new. We get all their toys at garage sales, Goodwill, and off craigslist.

6) As previously posted, we are Dollar Tree fans.

7) We don't go to movies (no baby-sitters and a crappy movie theatre), and we don't have cable. Our family entertainment thrives off of Netflix, parks, walks, our backyard, the internet, playgroups, books, Wal-Mart, and each other. I know, it may sound pathetic, but we are in a *small* town in the middle of nowhere, remember?

8) We don't eat hot dogs. That really really has nothing to do with saving money, but I just had to throw it in...we have a Bar S Factory (the makers of Bar S Hotdogs, Bacon, and other meats) about a half mile away from our house and some of the smells that come from there are just gross enough to turn a person away from hot dogs for awhile.

9) We plan our meals. I make a loose, semi flexible menu for the week based on what we have already and shop for what we need to complete the meals. We base our meals on what's on sale, what we have, and what sounds good to us. Just this step alone has saved us a ton of moolah by not throwing out spoiled, rotten food.

10) We mooch. :) Not in an annoying way, but we borrow stuff if needed. For an example, I hosted a party last week and didn't have enough pitchers or a nice ice bucket. Though I could buy them so I'd have them for the next time, I asked a couple of friends if I could borrow their nice crystal pitchers and ice bucket, and ta da, I was set.

Really, I am frugal more out of desire than out of necessity. I like the challenge of living for less. Nate doesn't call me his "Bargain Bloodhound" for nothing!

Operation Hydration

It's been a long week here in the Tolle house...with two sick kids and a husband with the Rotavirus. I'll spare you pictures of the nastiness that has entered our walls, but let's just say it hasn't been fun. I have lost track of how many poopy diapers I've changed, sheets I've changed, loads of laundry I've done, and Pedialyte bottles I've bought.

They seem to be healed by day... I'll think they are all better, than inevitably at night, the fun begins. We are trying to keep them hydrated, but who knows how much is actually staying in. The internet says it could lasty 7-10 days. We are on Day 9 right now, so hopefully it will end soon. If you think about it, say a prayer for us...we need it!

My Three Loves

What a bunch of goobers. But I can't get enough of them.

Thanks Abuela!!!

Corban got a special treat in the mail the other day from his "Abuela" in Florida and has been riding it ever since.

Let's rewind 28 years...as the story goes, Nate had a rocking horse when he was Corban's age. He was so excited that he rode it all day. The next day Nate's butt and inner thigh's were so sore, he couldn't walk and his mom had to rub them all day.

Well, for that reason, we didn't let Corban ride all day...

Caleb watched Corban for a few minutes and then looked at me like "What in the *%#*?"

Corban reluctantly lets Caleb ride with him for a minute. Note that Caleb, as usual when left unattented with Corban, looks scared for his life.

And at the end of a long day, the boys are still friends enough to sit for a picture (but no smiles, mom!).

Corban's Party

I was going to buy a cheap Wal-Mart cake. Things have been a little crazy around here and it seemed easiest. But my friend and partner in frugality, Amy, strongly encouraged me to make Corban's cake myself. She brought over books about children's cakes, she offered to help, she promised it was cheaper and fun to do it yourself. So, I committed. All the pictures in the book seemed a little over ambitious for someone who's idea of "making a cake" is adding frosting to a store bought angel food cake. She gave me all the decorations from her son's Race Car themed party, so that was an easy theme to borrow. I looked up some easy cakes on the internet and set out to make the cake. And whaddaya know. It WAS easy, fun, and cheaper....and it tasted better too! Thanks, Amy!!

Corban gives his stamp of approval.



So, now I feel all domesticated. Corban had fun and still talks about all his friends coming over for the Par-tay. He won't leave his new toys alone for a second and cries a heartbroken cry when it is time for bed.

Where Have The Past Two Years Gone?

Happy Birthday, my sweet Corban! You are such a joy to your Mamma and Daddy! You are such a fun spirited boy, full of life and joy. You bring a smile to everyone's face. You have such a fun personality already and such a tender heart. Thank you for all the laughter and love that you bring into our home. You are our first born and our first blessing. Our prayer for you is that you will come to know the Lord at an early age. We love you so so so much and praise God for your precious life!!

A Weekend of Disappointment

What a bummer of a weekend. We were all excited to head to the Jackson County Fair that advertised Fun, Food, a petting zoo, and so much more. In the spirit of trying to take in all that Altus has to offer (or not) we also decided to enter Caleb in the Beautiful Baby Contest.



Disappointment number one: If by "food" they mean a tiny booth selling rice crispy treats and bags of chips, etc., then they should have made that clear. I mean COME ON, I KNOW I'm not the ONLY one who thinks the words "Fair food" equal "Fried food." There was not a single item of fried food on the menu.



Second disappointment: The fair was the size of a barn. I mean, I have literally been to bigger, more exciting barn parties than this "Fair".



Third disappointment: The "Petting zoo" consisted of a few prize winning chickens, a couple of ponies, a sheep, and calf. Corban was bored after three minutes.




And the Fourth and Biggest Disappointment...



Caleb didn't win the Beautiful Baby Contest...in fact he didn't even place. Now, I know that every mother thinks that *her* baby is the cutest, but let's just say that I think Oklahoman's have a different definition of "beautiful" than the rest of the world. We were in the fourth division and I knew by the winners in the divisions before us that Caleb wouldn't win. And that's all I'm gonna say about that.



So all the work of clipping his fingernails every night this past week so he wouldn't scratch up his face and making sure he stayed awake and happy all morning during the contest (a nearly impossible feat) were a waste. I will never get those hours back.



Now how can you tell me this baby isn't cute enough for the top 3 baby boys ages 6-12 months? You can't.





It's good to know that Nate and I are going home this week for the Kansas State Fair where there will be lots of yummy fried food, a quality petting zoo, and lots of family and friends to dote on Caleb and tell me he's cute.

Our Labor Day

We got to "get out of Dodge" for the Labor Day weekend to Oklahoma City which was a treat. Hurrican Gustav threatened to send Nate to the coast to help evacuate people, but thankfully, Nate never got "the call." Frontier City, a small amusement park, lets military people in for fifty cents on Mondays. So for $1.oo, (the babies were free) our family got to have loads of fun riding all the baby rides for several hours. Well...$1.00 plus $7.00 for parking...(I just don't get the concept of paying for parking. To me it's like paying to breathe. But that's just me.)



Anyway, we had fun at the pool at the pool at the hotel, eating at Johnny Carino's (YUM!) and dessert at The Cheesecake Factory (again, YUM!) and shopping at stores we miss like Target, Big Lots, Hobby Lobby, a health food store, and Best Buy.



My camera ran out of batteries, so we don't have many pics, but here are a couple.

Swimming Lessons with Daddy.

Singing Bears
Caleb completley enamored with the freaky singing bears.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

I was lying in bed last night typing on my computer, listening to the GOP on TV when I see something scurry past. I said "What the heck?" and looked down to make eye contact with A MOUSE!! YUCK!!!! So, after screaming so loud that Nate thought for sure I was being murdered, I refused to get out of bed for hours knowing there is a mouse loose in the house. I can not emphasize enough how NOT COOL this is! I am so grossed out.

So I spend the day cleaning so there is nothing to tempt rodents to come into our house. We live right by a field so it's a possibility that this could be a reoccuring thing. I don't know how mice get on the second story of a house. Do they climb? Jump stairs? Who knows. i just know I still get the heeby jeebies when I think of it. And I'm even more paranoid than usual.