Jackson gets sick.

Jackson was sick this morning. He woke me up early to get into my bed because he was "cold". He was shaking with a fever. He was very sick all morning with a high fever, lethargic, throwing up, sleeping on and off. After about an hour long nap on the couch this morning, he told me "he was almost all better" - he had "already fought and killed a million germs and only had 5 left." He balled up his fists and showed me how he fought. Garrett threw in a few coughs to underline the idea that he was "sick" too. He needed "gale" too (ginger ale). Since he was so sick, we were having a movie day and once it was Mommy's turn to choose the movie, I picked one out with Jackson looking right over my shoulder. He told me "I agree with you Mom, that's a good choice." This is why I have to wonder if I have forgotten his actual date of birth!! Poor Garrett, he just wants to see "Queen Show" (the movie Cars) - and we did, today. But he wants to see it everytime the TV is on. He could watch it over and over. Then later, right before dinner (and after a long afternoon nap) he told me he was "all better and had killed all of the germs". Seeing as how he still has a cough, I think maybe a few of the germs slipped through!

The Property

So, "The Property" is a 5 acre piece of land that we purchased in February 2010 to build our new home on. And in January 2011 we began doing just that - building our dream home.

The boys, all 3 of them, LOVE "the property". It once was "the plop-erty", as it was lovingly referred to by Jackson, who now pronounces it correctly. Makes me a little sad, that it sounds correct and grown up now. Oh well. Time marches on!

Neal and Jackson, I think are the most in love with those 5 acres. Garrett enjoys going but also enjoys staying at home for now, especially if big brother is away and he has free reign of the toys!

They always come back filthy, all of them... so much so that stripping at the door and putting shoes directly into the "dirty bin" is a necessity and their clothes go straight to the washer! Then little boys go straight in the tub and the Daddy goes straight to the shower! Often, I have to run the bathtub water twice - first is to soak them, second is to get them clean.

Jackson loves "the loppers" - a cutting tool that Neal lets him use to trim small trees and things. It's a real tool! He feels so grown up and tells me that it's only for him because it would be too dangerous for me to use. Ha. He might be right. He also has "rules" that newcomers must be instructed in and he is quite serious about these rules. His favorite activity this week is lizard hunting... pronounced "yizard" hunting.

"Yizard" hunting is quite complicated evidently. I got a brief tutorial on the plan this evening. Per the description, it is going to involve nets, a helmet, a light (for shining into the dark logs they hide in), loppers, a sharp thing (for cutting up the logs they hide in), a fire (to burn up the logs they hide in) and a team of people. We, the team, each have specific duties that he outlined. Whoa!

Garrett, the dare devil, is usually Jackson's assistant. Sometimes willingly and sometimes, he ignores his role and does what he wants. :o) He has no fear. He was the one the contractor found halfway out on the catwalk in the unfinished portion of the attic - you know, the part where you can fall through the ceiling if you step off said catwalk. Whew. He scares me to death sometimes. He is also the one that would get cold this winter and would ask Neal to put him in the truck and his car seat. He would get in there and take a nap. This one is definitely mine!

Each night, "property talk" is requested, or rather demanded by Jackson and sometimes by Garrett. Property talk entails Jackson running down things that "need to be done," have already been done and just general discussion about stuff. Tonight's "yizard" hunting discussion was our property talk. Evidently, Daddy is much better at it, but Mommy will do in a fix. Garrett's version of property talk is mostly jabbering about trees, repeating the same phrases over and over - things he's heard Jackson talk about. :o) He'll be talking non-stop too soon.

Love those little guys and love that they enjoy being outside so much. Hardly even mind the dirt that comes with it. I am still working on my stain remover though. :o)

Funny things the boys have said... today and otherwise that need to be remembered...

Garrett responds to tickling sometimes, like this morning, with "don't laugh me" (aka "don't tickle me") and then promptly returns for more. He also calls his big brother Jackson, "ass son" - very funny to Neal and I - we will miss this dearly when he begins to pronounce the "J". And he refers to his preschool teachers (Ms. Bobbi and Ms. Connie) as Connie-Bobbi. Never are their names separate and he becomes quite frustrated when you try to get him to separate the two. It is so funny to the two of them, that their families now refer to them this way and sometimes other members of their families combine names - just because. :)

After lunch, I had to remind Jackson to wash his hands with soap AND water after using the bathroom. He responded with "EVERY TIME?!". Yes honey, every time. And after, letting the dogs in as he was asked and wiping their feet with the towel (this is a relatively new thing, to wipe their feet), he was miffed with me for not praising him. "Mom (very long and drawn out), you didn't tell me good job or even give me a high five." So sweet that praise means that much to him. Whoops!

... to get started.

I have never have been good at writing down memories or even taking photos are special or not so special moments. This is my attempt to remember all the things the boys say and do, the special times we have as a family and a couple, the choices we make and hope to make.

This blog is my attempt to get it all down, simply. I am choosing to get started!