Countdown

Greg has been gone for the past THREE weeks at flight school and we (I) have been going a bit crazy on the homefront. BUT he is coming home tonight...PTL! So I made a little list in celebration...

Reasons to know it's time for Daddy to come home...

1. I went to brush my teeth and found a few of my decorative rocks stuck down in the drain. But I wasn't mad or surprised, quite impressed at how creative they are getting in their sinful little natures that have taken over in leaps in bounds in the past three weeks.

2. When a boy is in trouble, in order to save time and energy, I just yell out both names because chances are high that the other one is up to no good too.

3. Pulic meltdowns and full-blown tantrums are no longer embarrassing and mortifiying...it is more the way of life, natural...normal.

4. All free time consists of sleep...or at least thinking of it.

5. I've broken 2 wooden spoons. Enough said.

6. I'm thinking of signing up for a single mom's group.

Just kidding, sweetie:)

Can't wait to see ya honey!

O-HI-O

Two weekends ago the boys and I packed up the van (well, I did most of the packing) and headed to Ohio to visit our friends Phil, Corrie, Corban and Silas Vander Ploeg. They left this area at the end of the summer and we have missed them greatly. I had the whole weekend open and the boys had been asking about them for weeks, so I couldn't think of anything else better to do with our free time. The drive went extremely well and the boys did wonderful. All the boys were so happy to see each other and it was so much fun to see them play together again. The first day we just took it easy, but that night after the boys were in bed Corrie and I got to get away and go watch a movie. Saturday morning we got up and headed to an outlet mall that had a train running around all of the stores. This place was built for my children. We loaded all the boys up in a wagon and Phil pulled them all around for us. We kept laughing because we looked like a mormon family. A man with his two wives and a bunch of kids....we were quite the sight. The rest of the day we took it easy and just enjoyed our time together. Sunday morning we got up and headed back on the road for our 4 1/2 hour drive back home. It was a lot of work, but well worth it!

Silas, Corrie and Phil

Brayden, Me, Jett and Corban

(The train wasn't loud, but I think Brayden was just preparing himself. We were in the train a good five minutes before it starting running and he sat there the whole time like that).

The train ride was great. It lasted about 15 minutes and the track was about 2 miles long. We freaked out at first because we had been pumping up the boys all morning about this train ride and then we got there and it was broken down. Us adults were like, "NO! What will it take to get this train running...money is no object." BUT thankfully it started working about a half hour later. Pretty sweet train!

Thanks for having us Vander Ploeg's. We had a great time!

Not lyin'

Now, what you are about to see is...

No joke.

No hidden strings.

No magical powers.

Just plain and simple - planets aligned - gravity induced...

BROOM STANDING BY ITSELF.

About a month ago my mom had heard that in a five day span that the planets were aligned it caused some gravity funk going on and that you could stand a broom up by itself. So we put the information to the test...and it worked. Her co-worker did it and the broom stood up all night long. Weird, huh!

This picture totally cracks me up. My parents brought over two full boxes of donuts the other night, which equals my self-control to be brought up one more notch while pregnant. I cannot say NO to sweets. It's pathetic! Anyhoo, so one morning Greg and I woke up to some noises in the kitchen. It was the boys, being sneaky. I found them like this at 6:00 a.m. There were bites out of a few donuts and they both had a donut in each hand and some chocolate around their mouth. It was just one of those moments that you laugh real hard and then pull out the camera!

The Season of Giving

This Thanksgiving we were greatly blessed by one of Greg's co-workers. His son was getting too big for his battery powered 4-wheeler and they passed it down to us...free of charge. Isn't it awesome! Thanks Joe and family - YOU ROCK! The boys love it and despite the cold weather, enjoy riding it anyway. They can either have Jett drive and Brayden ride in the wagon behind or Jett drives the 4-wheeler and Brayden chases behind him in the gator. Either way, they have a blast! I love the picture above because Jett is in his John Deere sweatshirt sitting on a 4-wheeler...this mama is quite proud! I've been trying to upload a video for two days now and blogger has just made my annoyed list. So picture in your head two very cute boys riding around our yard, one red head on the 4-wheeler and the blondie chasing behind him in the gator. I'm a little late, but hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

I've got prego brains.

The prego brains are in full swing again and have not disappointed. I call it Mush! The forgetfullness, the unablity to make sense of words and the pure lack of consentration.

A few examples...

1. the other day I filled Jarrett's sippy with milk...and gave it to Greg.

2. one night while ordering pizza with family I wanted a certain crust type and spent over 10 minutes trying to figure out what size and toppings I wanted on it...only to open the lid when it arrived and realize that I never ordered it with the special crust. MUSH!

3. I forget words all the time. Greg seriously fills in most of my sentences now because I give him a blank stare and mutter...um...huh...oh what do you call it. Oh, what do I want to call this...push...wait, I think it starts with an M :)

4. When Brayden asks for his passy I am constantly trying to put it in Jarretts mouth. Jarrett is now to the point that when I approach him he just says, "No Mom." M-U-S-H

5. On Sunday I was hanging Christmas lights outside...on a not so sturdy stool (mush)...ended up falling onto our rocking chair and then finishing the fall on our cement porch. My butt is a colorful mixutre of black, blue, purple, green and yellow...I wish I was exaggerating.

6. When Greg gets home from work I sometimes ask...who are you? Just kidding, it hasn't gotten that bad yet.

7. I keep putting the fridge items in the cupboard and vise-versa. Luckily I walk away and then stop, knowing something isn't right. However, I am waiting for the day I open up a door and sour milk slaps me in the face.

I would go on, but I can't consentrate long enough to remember...

Bray-Bray

My sweet little boy is no longer little anymore, but still wonderfully sweet. He is 2 1/2 looking like he is going on 4. He is now 36 lbs (four pounds shy of his older brother) and built as a football player (yeah)! He is talking so much now and his voice is deeper than most kids which makes it pretty stinkin' cute. He is super polite and always says thank you. He mostly calls me Mom now...no longer Mommy (sad). He loves to play with trains, airplanes and tractors. Loves watching movies...a little too much. He has learned how to drive the gator...and actually quite well, we are really impressed. He loves to wrestle with Daddy and Jett. He is still addicted to his passy and blanket and I am dreading the day that is quickly approaching that we will be taking it away. He is sleeping great, getting up early, but I am picking my battles and enjoying the sleep during the night. He loves to talk on the phone. He loves to dance and jump around. He loves to color and paint. He is SO not interested in potty training...life is good in diaper land for him. (Grrr). He loves to give hugs and kisses - and his love brightens my day!

16 Weeks

Well I've made it past 16 weeks (I am officially 17, but the picture is a week old, luckily not much has changed). I'm feeling large and in charge already with lots of time ahead of me yet. Yikes. The other week at work I had a lady come in and as I put her on the examining table she says, does this table come out for my belly, I'm pregnant. I ask her when she is due...the beginning of December. I didn't even know she was pregnant. What the crap! Then I looked down at my protruding belly and sighed. Granted the woman was massively tall, so the baby was probably standing up and her clothes we a bit more loose then mine, but still. Ridiculous.

Anyhoo, I had my baby appointment yesterday and everything still looks great and the baby's heartbeat was good and strong. Jett was with me and he got to hear it. He thought that was pretty cool. We even made my appointment for my ultrasound. It is on the 24th - less than three weeks away. Wow! I can't wait. We are finding out this time. We didn't with the boys and thought it would be fun to do something different this time. Plus, if it is another boy, I wouldn't mind a heads up. It would be more than fine and I would be happy, I've survived two, what is one more, but I just need a heads up. I won't lie, I'm hoping for a girl. Oh course, yada yada, I hope it is healthy first, but if it was healthy and a girl - pretty cool.

Our "Pride" and Joy!

For Trick or Treating this year the boys dressed up as lions...and pretty cute ones I must add. I got them at the Children's Resale for $2 each and was totally pumped until I brought them home and the boys cried when they saw them. The head was scary and Brayden would run away crying every time. So how did I get them on you ask? Lots and Lots of candy before we went out and got Lots and Lots of candy. You could say we've had a jumpy few days at the Replogle house.

This video cracks us up for two reasons. #1...look at Braydens mane blowing in wind. He looks like he has a terrible mullet in the back. #2...because we caught him being naughty and still laughed.

Emptying the piggy bank

After months of saving their money in their piggy banks (which are really an airplane and basketball) the boys finally had enough change to go to the train store to purchase their first train with their own money. Brayden was like "whatever", but Jett really got into the excitement. When we were getting close I had the boys do extra chores to earn a few more cents towards their goal.

One morning I was getting ready and Jett came into my closet saying,

"Mommy, you look wonderful."

And I say, "Oh Jett, thank you. You are so sweet."

He then proceeds to ruin the moment by saying,

"Do I get a quarter now."

NO!
And then I hugged him and kept laughing about it all day long.

The day before we went to the store we counted all their change and then took it into the bank to get bills instead of plopping a bag of change on the counter at the train store.

He even went up to the counter and handed over his money feeling big and hopefully making our first step to understanding how money works and how we have to work for the things we want.

Is it bad that the train store owner knew me and called me by name when we paid. I'm thinking that sounds pathetic! :)

First Day Of School

We officially have a preschooler in our household. Jett started preschool at the beginning of September and is LOVING it! He was so cute getting ready for the day. I made him a big boys breakfast and as I was getting him ready for school he looked up and said, "This really is a special day, Mommy." We of course had to purchase a Thomas the Train backpack that he proudly wears and shows everyone that comes over. The second day of school he woke me up at six o'clock informing me that he was ready to go to school. If only this excitement could last for the next 13 years. Everyday he runs into the house bouncing around excited to show me the work he did for the day... and to inform me about the best part of his day...snack-time.

Ode to this pregnant mama

I don't know about you, but this is getting a little ridiculous.

I am pregnant.

Again.

Three times in one year folks...I'm beginning to feel a little loose. Yes I've taken sex education and yes I know what contraceptives are, but my uterus and quite deteremined little eggs haven't gotten that memo yet!

So...here we go again!

Ode to the pukes that have disrupted my life for the past eight weeks. The toilet and I have become one, once again. Ah, to eat a meal again that doesn't consist of bread and complete carbs that goes straight to my greedy thighs.

Ode to the maternity pants that are beckoning me from the storage tub in the basement...at almost 12 weeks along.

Ode to no bowel movements. Two weeks with no kids being dropped off at the pool makes for a very uncomfortable mama. BUT when they had a pool party I lost 6 POUNDS. Gross, but true. I have found the new weight loss program!

Ode to the hormones. I'm not usually a big crier, BUT when those prego hormones kick in I can tear up at about anything. Yesterday on The Price Is Right a lady won a car. Tears blinded my sight. Pathetic. In my defense, it was also her birthday. Just think if she would have won a car AND a motorcycle. I would have been a blubbering idiot and Jett would have had to bring me a Kleenex while rubbing my back saying, "It's okay mommy." He is getting used to the tears now.

Ode to the sniffer. I still can't get over how strong my sense of smell is. I can smell a dirty diaper three rooms away. And making dinner...complete torture.

Ode to a dirty house that my all too sweet hubby has had to take care of while I'm groaning on the couch begging him to take me out back and put me out of my misery.

Ode to being almost out of my first trimester...and seeing a light at the end of the tunnel!

College Reunion

Go Wildcats! So last month I had some college friends over for dinner. I attended IWU and made some awesome friends and most of them still somewhat live in the area (except for two of my roommates)...what is a few hours of driving to see old friends:) I invited quite a few to come, but the end of the summer is not the best for people's schedules. However, two could make it...and it was a blast! Thanks for making the trip guys! It was so fun catching up on everyone's lives and to get to know their families. Hard to believe it's been 12 years since we all met. I wanted to post a picture of us from college, but decided not to bother digging through boxes...so you'll get us at thirty - mature - and still enjoying each others company! Don't these guys have gorgeous wives!

Jeremy - Me - Chris
Stefhanie & Chris

Jeremy & Andi, Jaylyn, Kadin and Gavin

A House Full Of Boys

Wesley, Jarrett, Brayden, Jaydon and Trevor

We were happy to watch Jett's little best friend Wesley and his brothers the other night while their parents went out on the town for their anniversary. It was a little crazy to have five boys under the age of four running around, but it went really well and we had a good time. An hour into the evening I came up with a fun idea to run off some stink and to get them tired for bedtime by finding every pillow in the house and making a pile for the boys to jump in. As you can tell, we laughed a lot!

...and the angels are singing...oh wait, that's me!

AHHHH!
After three very long years, we have finally gotten our basement finished enough to live in it...and we are loving it...and yes, you will finally stop hearing me complain about it not being finished! I have officially shut up! Greg worked so hard with many hours under his tool belt and along with our family and friends (huge thanks goes out to you...we couldn't have done it without your help). We still have a lot of work yet to do, but at least we can use it while we work on it now.

These first two pictures is what it looked like when we moved in...along with all of our crap. Look how little Jett was...oh my! The first year we got the walls framed up. The second year we got drywall up.

THEN this year we got the drywall finished...painted...and got carpet! The day it was insalled we rolled around on its softness and did carpet angels. We had so much stuff in storage, we didn't really have to buy anything to furnish our added space. We were given the tv, chairs and beds for the spare bedroom. Everything else you see has been in storage for three years. We still need to do trim, electrical work, finish the closets and finish the kitchen...and in about another three years put in a bathroom. But for now, we are content and happy with what the Lord has provided.

Kitchen in progress. Imagine cabinets, fridge and island. For now the boys' card table will have to make due:)

The family room. Behind that wall is the spare bedroom. The boys love the space and that their shark tent is up ALL THE TIME! And yes, that is Jett vaccuming. He loves it. I can't deny his request to work...no child labor laws can touch me...he asks to do it:)

Family room facing the other way. That couch you see was my grandparents in the 70's. We've had it since we've been married, so the few purchases that I made was the cover and pillows to hide the peach flower fabric. Although it may not look the best - it's a rockin nap couch and quite comfortable!

Quotes

At my work we have a stand that sits out in the lobby with a quote of the day on it. Today I was going through the pile of quotes to chose from and I caught myself laughing out loud at a few and going "hmm, that was good." So I thought I would share...

"A friend is one who takes you to lunch even though you are not tax deductible."
-Author Unknown

"Don't resist growing old. Some people never have the chance."
-Author Unknown

"I must be getting absent-minded. Whenever I complain that things aren't what they used to be, I always forget to include myself."
-George Burns

"The time to relax is when you don't have time for it."
-Author Unknown

"Bad habits are like a comfortable bed...easy to get into but hard to get out of."
-Author Unknown

"Oh, I don't blame Congress. If I had $600 billion at my disposal I'd be irresponsible too."
-Lichty Wagner

"Keep your temper, no one else wants it."
-Author Unknown

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST...
Jett leaning under a dairy cow at the fair last night. "Wow, that cow has a lot of pee-pee's"
-Jarrett Replogle

Family Pictures

We got our family pictures done by the famous Darcy Holsopple. She did a great job despite our boys refusing to cooperate.

Visitors

Two weeks ago my sister and her husband came up for a visit. The boys were very happy to see Uncle Aaron and Aunt Megan...when they were around they couldn't have cared less that we were. We tried to get out and do a lot of fun things while they were here. The week before we had to be hermits, so it was nice to get out and do something. On Wednesday they just came over to hang out and they gave Jett his birthday gift...a bike...he loves it. On Thursday we had a surprise anniversary party for our parents at our house with all the siblings and our grandparents. On Friday we went to Shipshewana for the normal Thomas the Train store, horse ride and pretzels and then spiced things up by going to the beach afterwards. Jett loved swimming and was a little fish in the water. Bray took a while to warm up to the fact that the ground felt weird, but once we got his water shoes on he loved it. On Saturday was my cousin Shelby's wedding and we all had a chance to hang out there with all our family...and we went without the boys....laaaaaaaaa!

Here are a few pictures and a video from our fun week.

Giddy Up!

Wow has life been a little crazy lately. Over the last month our lives have been focused on Brayden and his sickness, but we did find time to be out and about. Jett's best friend Wesley had his birthday party at a local small zoo early last month. It was so fun to watch all the kids together. Of course Jett could have cared less about the animals, he just wanted to run around with his pals. Towards the end I finally was able to get him to focus and he asked to ride the pony. For those of you that don't know Jett well, this is a HUGE breakthrough for him. He loves animals...but at a distance...a very long distance. Anytime we are remotetly close to a large animal he backs up and says, "Mommy, is it going to eat me?" The zoo also had camel rides. The picture to the right is Wesley, Jaydon and Emily taking a ride. I was the mean mom that said he could only pick one ride. I didn't object when he picked the horse, quite relieved actually...I didn't want the camel to eat me:)

A quick update on Brayden. He is doing great. You wouldn't have a clue that he was sick for a month and in the hospital for 4 days. There isn't much updated news we can give you at this point, it mostly a waiting game to see how his heart improves. He got some bloodwork done today and the results were fantastic. His inflammation count at the hosptial was over 100 (which the doctors informed us that # is very critical and could be life threatening...kinda scary), but today his number was 20. Praise the Lord. We have an appointment with the Pediatric heart doctor on Monday to get results from his Echo we had done earlier this week. We are in high hopes of a good report.

Our Little Man

We have had quite an interesting couple of weeks with Mr. Brayden...the kind where you just hold your child and beg God for healing and understanding. To make a very-very long story short...the weeks following Memorial Day Brayden started having high fevers, a swollen gland, bloodshot eyes and last Thursday stopped walking because he was in so much pain. We continually took him to the doctor, but each of the symptoms came in a phase instead of at once, so the doctors were a bit baffled. On Monday we took him to the hospital for x-rays and blood work where they found he had very high levels of inflammation in his system. On Tuesday we went back to the hospital for more x-rays and a Echo on his heart. Then headed back to the doctor office where they informed us that Brayden had Kawasaki Disease. It is a rare disease in the US that effects a child's heart. The best we can explain it (mostly because it is a case that even most doctors don't understand) is that he caught a "virus" and his body was unable to fight it off. Why this disease is so serious is because it thins the walls in the coranary arteries, the cells start to dialate, then balloon, then can create an anerysm. Brayden's Echo showed that his walls were thinning and the cells were starting to dialate. They are hoping that they caught it in time with the medicine, but only time will tell. We had to stay an extra day in the hospital because his fever would not stay down, but he did great Thursday night so they sent us home Friday morning...only to be hermits for the next week. Brayden is doing very well and acts as if he wasn't even sick for the last three weeks or even in the hospital for the past four days. Right now he is just taking Asperin to thin out his blood and over the next three months he will be getting an Echo every two weeks. That is the only way for the doctors to see if his heart is improving or getting worse. There is some minimal damage, but they are hoping to see the cells repairing themselves. As far as we know his life should not be restricted and he should grow up to be a strong and healthy boy. One of my first questions were, "will he be able to play sports?"...gees, I'm such a soccer mom...it's just the little things you see your kid doing when they grow up - I needed to prepare myself. Just so you know, they don't think it should be a problem, but only time will tell. Brayden was such a trooper and despite all the needles he did really well. We were a little nervous about what to do with a very active two year old, but they had a great playroom and allowed him to take car and wagon rides around the hallways...we would just follow him wherever he wanted to go pushing his IV right along side of him. He of course flirted with the nurses until they wanted to take his temperature, blood pressure or give him medicine...then the world was ending as we knew it. Well, that's all we have for now. We will update you as we are updated. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. We will leave you with a short clip of our life in the hospital...

Pick it! Pick it good!

Either I will get grief or laughs from Darin and Darcy for posting this picture or in ten years when Adie finds out that I did this, I will no longer be cool Aunt Nanny...but it was too good to pass up. During Adie's second birthday party she had to take a little break from opening gifts and take care of some business. She is adorable even with her finger up her nose.

***************

So do you want to know about my morning at Wal-mart? Probably not, but you are going to hear about it anyway. I waited in line for almost an HOUR. No typo here folks, wish it was. Luckily I only had Jett with me otherwise I would have arrived home with no hair and a good cry.

BUT on the way home I did get a good and much needed laugh. To give you a little background. About a week ago I lost our garage door opener. If you know me well, you can understand how that is not normal and has absoluetly been making me go crazy trying to find it.

Well, the other night around eleven o'clock I was on the computer after Greg went to bed and I hear our garage door open...twice. Totally freaked me out. I get Greg up to come and look around, I'm not stupid. He finds nothing (and needless to say he is not happy that I woke him up...sorry honey, better for you to deal with the boogyman than me:) So I lock everything and lay in bed thinking the worst (it had already been through my mind earlier in the week about some psycho finding it and getting into my house...ah, to be a brain cell in the mind of Natalie).

Anyhoo, so on my way home I called our neighbor up the street to see if her little boy could come over and play today and she asks if we are missing a garage door opener. She then procceds to tell me that her husband found it out in their yard one day and that night drove around at each house pushing the button to see if it was someones house. IT WAS MINE. To how it got in their yard, no clue. That might be one of my questions when I get to Heaven:)

Girls Night Out

Shannon, Nichole, Elise,

If you don't know who I am - quit stalking, and Emily

Okay, so this information is a bit late...but ya know what...it's my blog and I'll write weeks late if I want to...and be corny:) I could keep going, but I'm sure you get the point.

Some friends and I decided that we needed a night out for us tired and weary moms! What's that? Did I hear a Heck Yeah? Oh yes! It was a glorious night of only worrying about feeding myself - which I did quite fine. And you know what, I didn't have to get up once. I know, all you moms have just entered your happy place...walk with me. I sat through an ENTIRE meal without getting up to cut someones else food, get more drink or separate a fight over who's hand was touching who's (well, except for Shannon and Nichole getting a bit fiesty - just kidding). Then we went bowling (note picture above). It was so much fun sitting around talking and making fun of ourselves. Then we ended our evening with ice cream. Sweet! No pun intended. I know, I am a dork, but remember you are wasting your brain cells reading it:)

So raise your Cokes (or Diet if you prefer) with me and cheer to - Girls Night Out!

A Horse and A Pig = Two Hams

About once a month we head over to Shipshewana and visit the Thomas the Train store, eat Jo-Jo's pretzels and ride the Carousel (twice). The boys know the routine and love every minute of it. Speaking of routine...on the carousel they have mostly horses, but some other animals as well (rooster, pig, chicken, sheep, etc). Jett has never been on a horse before, he always-always picks a different animal. Anyhoo, we went with some friends this last time so I remembered to take my camera. I wanted to get adorable pics of the boys riding, but they had other plans. They are quite funny though...and shows you our "normal" life at the Replogle household.

Oh happy day!

We had Jett's 4th Birthday party last Saturday and it was so much fun.

Side note funny: I told Jett after his birthday on Wednesday that we were having his Birthday party on Saturday. He looks up at me wide-eyed..."Mommy, I am turning 5 already." How adorable.

Okay, back to the party. There is nothing sweeter for a parent than to see pure joy on your child's face. We have been saving money for a few years to get the boys a playground. We finally broke open the piggy bank and got it for their combined birthday gifts this year. Greg won dad of the year for all of his blood, sweat and tears building it. The directions said 5-7 hours...or 4 days- whatever! It was the focus of play for the kids UNTIL...

HE GOT THE JOHN DEERE GATOR! It was actually another combined birthday gift, but mostly for Jett because it was our big bribe during the whole potty training catastrophre. I am still shuddering at the thought. Anyway, the kids had a great time getting rides by the birthday boy himself. Only a few toes and a fence post were injured in the beginning minutes of driving. They of course needed their shades for the trip...and their cups...huge necessities in any vehicle, ya know. You should have seen him whip the gator into reverse. It was like he'd been driving for years.

Here is a video clip of Jett getting the gator. Needless to say, he was a little excited!