100,000 Miles

Our car hit 100,000 miles in February. We bought the car around 20,000 miles in April 2008. Those 80,000 miles have provided so many wonderful memories!

We traveled to Savannah to celebrate Topher's first birthday.

We traveled to Maine to visit Jenny and Philip (and Isaac had he chose to come earlier!) But...sadly, my computer died and ate those pictures :(
We traveled to the North Carolina beach!

We posed for pictures with Darth Vader in front of this car!

We traveled to Savannah for Christmas (a few times!)

 We brought home our first baby girl in this car!

Made a trip to New Mexico for the summer as Tyler looked for a job...

...and stayed there...

...and stayed there!

We brought home a second little girl!

Tyler drove to Durango to fly to Scranton for a job interview...no picture.
Tyler drove to Alb (can't even begin to spell that one), for a job interview in NY.
Tyler drove to Salt Lake for a job interview (all within a week of eachother!)
Tyler drove to Salt Lake to start his new job!


What a fun 80,000 miles!

Uncovered After 29 Years

So just before Tyler left Pat, my mother-in-law, deciede to do some remodeling/redecorating. When they first moved into this home there was a "lovely" mural on one of the walls. Much to 3-year-old Tyler's dismay, she had it covered. Last week we decided to remove the covering after 29 years. The kids helped us with our work. Caroline sure had it right.

Topher's favorite part is when we gave up trying to remove the mural and just put up a new wall. However, my 4-year-old, asked "Grandma, why are you taking down this beautiful wall?" I guess the best thing that could possibly be thought about the previous owner is maybe they really let their 4 year old son be involved in the decorating.

I wish I could post a completed project now, but we are still painting and putting down carpet and waiting for new furniture!

The difference between boys and girls.

Since I showed how Maddie plays - here you go with Topher.
In the mud. With tools. With his sisters (both sisters have been chopped with the sword). With a sword as a "policeman with a sword," "an ice giant," "a bad guy with a sword," "a good guy with a sword," or "a ninja." And lastly, as Thor with a Thor hammer. I have become good at self-defense. I must say, there is a definite difference between girls and boys and how they play and what they like to play.

Miss Maddie Mae Plays

I am always amused when watching the kids play. I love how Maddie likes to wear her glasses (which are really movie theater 3D glasses with the lenses punched out). She also likes to try to hide in the cupboard with her babies. And, occasionally, she will stop jumping off furniture long enough to read a book or do a puzzle.

Finding Diversions

dfsdfTyler has left to Utah to start his job, leaving me and the kids here in NM. I have been tasked with finding a place to live. Which means I have to find the places online. Find out what school district. Call the place to set up a time to go view. And then send Tyler the information. All of this lleaves time where my kids are forced to occupy themselves. Today they were successful.

Thoughts

It has been so long since my last post. I have a lot to put up that I can't ignore but - Tyler is gone with the computer and camera again!

The past two weeks have been crazy. Tyler has been in New York, Pennsylvania, and Utah. After two job offers (Pennsylvania and Utah) he has accepted Utah and is now on his way to his first day of work.

I am excited for him. I wish I could be there to say "I love you," "Good luck," and "I'll see you when you get home for work." But, due to a lack of a place to live and insurance I am here in New Mexico for a few more weeks. I am here with strict instructions not to let our children grow up too much. I know he hated to leave all of us, but Caroline especially. A few weeks in baby time is like a few years to the rest of us. She has grown up so much already in 8 weeks. (Tomorrow she is 2 months old). Shw is such a pretty baby.

I was reading mom's post this week. It made me sad. I miss my mimi too. But, I can't imagine not being able to call mom to have her tell me it is okay when I am feeling off. Or when I have something happy to share.

I love you mom. You have become my best friend. I love to share things with you and confide in you. I love your advice and guidance. I love that I know you love me, flaws and all. I love the songs you sing with my kids over skype and that they love you. You are the best.

Okay - Caroline has resorted to self canablism because she hasn't eaten in two hours! I'll try my best in the near future to update all the big events in the past month.

It is Friday and my kids are alive!

There are some days that I am not sure that both the kids and I will both survive - it feels like either they will off me or I them. On those days it feels like such an accomplishment that at 7:01 I can shut the kids doors after tucking them into bed and be able to say that we both survived the day. This week has been full of those types of days. :) So, I have concluded that being a mom is hard. It is exausting. And, it is what I love most about my life.
Despite the fact I can no longer wear a white shirt and a lot of times feel like a human tissue. It is the time I have spent being a mom that has given me the best memories I have. Looking back over the past (almost) five years I don't remember those days that I feel lucky that we all survived. Instead these are the type of days that I remember most -

The day I became a mom to Christopher "Topher" Larry Thompson. And again...to Madelyn "Maddie" Mae ThompsonAnd again...to Caroline Tyler Thompson (I am sure a nic-name will pop up due to confusion with the ending of -line and -lyn).My mom meeting my new baby boy when we picked her up from the airport.And again, after a five hour drive from Savannah to Raleigh, my mom seeing my new baby girl. (I can't wait to show off my newest little one). Celebrating accomplishments together.Going on walks at Lake Johnson or Pullen Park with Topher for 3 1/2 years while living in Raleigh.Continuing family traditions with my own family. And sharing my favorite places with my kids.Experiencing Topher's "firsts" with him. First shoes, first smores, first birthdays...
Seeing our kids to develop relationships with those people in their lives that will mean the most to them.And many more days we did something new, exciting, fun, or just together to make those "survival" days seem few and well worth the cost of having days like these.