Olive Fingers

Halloween, Commons grand opening, and another trip down the well

Saturday was trunk or treat put on by the rec commission. Travis wasn't feeling well, so I took the kids. Pat was there and helped take Amelia around to get candy. At first she wasn't sure what was going on, but figured it out pretty quickly when everyone kept putting candy in her bucket. Monday we took them out trick or treating around town. We were out for about 2 hours. Amelia got alot of loot and Truman fell asleep in his carseat holding a popcorn ball. I also took a cemetary tour Monday afternoon with Ed. We walked around the north part and it was very interesting to hear the stories of the people who started Greensburg and Kiowa County.

Today was the grand opening of the Commons building. I was there for Travis to make and serve the first drink to Dick. It was really a great event and just another step forward for the community. Travis is really proud of the museum and how it has come together. We each had a nice surprise by photos in the museum. There is a photo of Harold and Betty Sherer when they were first married and there is a picture of mom and dad's house pile following the tornado with the sign I painted.

This afternoon I got to be lowered into the well again, this time to the very bottom concrete platform. Everything has been removed from the interior and this will be the last time inside until the new stairs go in. It's so amazing to see it like this.

They finished pouring the footings for the building today. It's awesome to finally (and I mean finally) see the museum taking shape. To see the footprint of the building and how it's going to sit on the lot is so exciting!

Keepsake Boxes

**Disclaimer: I will be talking about a dead baby in this post, if that bothers you, stop reading now.

Awhile ago I bought some small plastic tubs to put keepsakes in for each of the kids. I finally got to that project this weekend. I drew their names on the lids and put flowers on Amelia's. I have had a stack of stuff in each of their closets of stuff that I think they will want someday, baby books, birthday cards, stuff from when they were born, etc. I went through all of it and put it in a tub for each of them. It became apparent very quickly that I should have bought bigger containers. I want to try and be better about keeping track of how they are growing and learning, and have a place to keep little things for them. I when through each of their baby books and tried to add in new stuff, but I am already so behind. Hopefully this blog will help me to remember when things happen.

When I bought the tubs, I bought a third smaller one for our first baby's things. I don't know how else to refer to him other than our first baby. He has a name, but I prefer not to say, since we didn't officially name him. When I picked out a container for him, I actually thought to myself, "I should get one for his stuff too, he'll want it someday." But he won't want it, the contents of that rubbermaid tub are just for me. His is smaller, and I don't have to worry about getting one that is too small, I won't be adding anything more to his.

Catching Up

I haven't been as diligent posting the last 2 weeks as I want to be. So, now I will try and catch up. Last Sunday we and the petty fam and mom went to Hoxie for the day. We had pizza baked in their new outdoor oven and the kids ran around and played outside all afternoon. The big kids loved to see all of the animals at Jane's house.

Alana, Bo and new baby Cole were at moms yesterday afternoon. Ashley and her 4 came up too. It was good to see her and watch the big kids play together.

This week was busy with work, meetings, art class, the usual.

Truman now has his two top teeth coming in. He is eating all kinds of foods and is starting to have small pieces of fruits and veggies. He loves crackers and cheerios. He isn't crawling on all fours, but can get around army crawling and is trying to pull up on things.He has been fussing and night and waking up in the night. I think he just wants held. We are trying the crying it out method as I type this...I think the crying may have stopped for now.

Amelia's becoming more of a personality all the time and her vocabulary is expanding. She is also starting to pretend play. Here are some of the funny/cute things she is doing:
-she plays mommy to her bear. Bear gets her diaper changed, amelia says yucky, she puts her on the toilet says potty, then flushes. She wraps bear in a blanket and rocks and pats her. And tonight bear was in the timeout chair and amelia was telling her no, no, no. Trav and I asked what the bear did wrong but she didn't say.
-when I go in the other room she says where are you? I think she got that from the scooby doo theme song.
-she gets several bags, the diaper bag, and/or my purse, comes and says kiss, hug, goes to the door, says work, love you, bye bye.
-on the way to daycare she lists off names of kids there. Addy, cohan, greyson, tausha, etc. Then when I pick her up and we are heading home its daddy, marley.
-the other morning as I was getting ready, she figured out the zipper on her sleeper and took it and her diaper off. I found her naked on the couch watching tv and drinking her milk.

Trips

This has been a great week of trips and adventures. I got home wednesday night late from the TIAK conference. It was good to be home and see the kids (and Travis :). The conference was really good, Haley and I got alot of great ideas. I have a long to do list of things to accomplish now, it seems to always happen after these things. It was kind of like a vacation, we went shopping, ate out, and visited friends at the LAC.

My next adventure for the week came Thursday morning. I went over to the Big Well construction site to see the progress they had made while I was gone. They had removed the top viewing canopy, cement cap, and all but one section of stairs. I was watching them take out the last set of stairs and taking pictures when the head guy from the demo company came over and asked if I wanted to go down in the well. I said really? for real? He said yes, so I got harnessed up and they lowered me and him with the crane in a basket. It was amazing! I feel special, I think I am the only person who has gotten to do that.

Today we went to Hoxie for pizza in Uncle Tony and Aunt Loretta's new wood fired outdoor oven. It was awesome. Mom rode up with Clint and Ashley and the kids. Dad left very early this morning to go to Florida for a speaking engagement. We each got to put our own topping on our pizzas then Tony cooked them. The big kids had a good time running around outside, chasing Thomas the cat, feeding and riding the donkeys. We went over to Jane's to see the chickens, goats, and big footed cats.

TIAK Conference

I am in Lawrence through Wednesday for the state tourism conference with Haley. I miss Lawrence, its so great being back here. We had the opening presentation at the Dole Institute of Politics and the evening and dinner at Van Go Mobile Arts. Get to see hollie and michael tomorrow for dinner, can't wait!

Homecoming