Sam and Ro Blog

Every moment is a blessing

2009-08-21T17:58:00.004-04:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about how blessed I am. I know I lose my patience a lot (as most "normal" moms do, in my opinion), but as Jimmy nears the start of Kindergarten, I keep thinking about how different his life would be if things had gone a little differently on that April morning five yrs ago. Not everyone knows this, but I came close to missing out on seeing Jimmy grow into the amazing little boy he is today. During childbirth, my (his?) placenta ruptured and I bled profusely for a few hours after delivery. My obstetrician took me into surgery to remove the remains of the placenta and stopped the excessive blood flow. I am truly blessed that we were in a hospital in a developed country when I gave birth to Jimmy. I know that is kind of a strange thing to say as an American... we take for granted the qualified physicians and hospitals that we have in every town. But we were living overseas, and when we considered an international move, the health care of the destination country was not a deciding factor (as a couple of twenty-somethings with no kids).
So for the past few days I have been able to laugh a lot more, and smile easier, and even keep my voice calm and loving (compared to the norm), thinking that had God not guided our decisions back then, I would not be here to enjoy this time with Jimmy. It would be a nanny or daycare worker making his lunch (this was my thought as I used a half-loaf of bread to make a grilled cheese sandwich because I kept burning them), searching for his Transformer's leg (at the VERY bottom of the overflowing toy chest), or reading "just one more" Curious George book. And the saddest thought is that the world would be short of thousands of giggles every day if Jimmy wasn't a big brother... just ask Susie and Gabe... if you can catch them at a serious moment.

Not that I'm making excuses for neglecting our blog, BUT... I really want to enjoy the last few days of the summer. I know that once Jimmy is out of my constant supervision he will mature so much, and I really want to soak up all of the innocence and sweetness I can. Check back for updates after September 2nd (Jimmy's first day), and until I get that free minute, remember to cherish every moment; even the bad times should make you appreciate the good times that much more.

Ahem, remember me?

2009-08-21T17:50:00.000-04:00

This is a post I started about a month ago, and never got around to finishing... hope it still makes some sense. :) Gabe is almost 7 months now, Susie just turned 3, and summer is almost over (and it was shorter than usual, from what I've been told).

"Well, Little Gabe is almost 6 months old now, and Susie is almost 3 yrs. Jimmy turned 5 since my last update, and we've been to Denver twice. Some of the biggest things that have happened are

-Sam finished his first semester since transfering to UNL (online) for his MBA... after this semester he will be caught up to where he was when he left USC. Dang it that they don't transfer all of your credit hours!

- Jimmy turned 5. YEA!

- Jimmy was diagnosed with a spermadic cord hydrocele and had it repaired at Presbyterian St Luke's Hospital in Denver. This was basically the same surgery as a hernia repair. We were really worried because the local radiologist described it as a complex cystic structure and said he had never seen anything like this in a child before. Turns out they are fairly common, and it wasn't that big of a deal to fix it. It did require general anesthesia, but it was same-day surgery and Jimmy was back to normal in 24 hrs.

- Sam and our neighbor built a fence around our backyards, so now the kids can play safely and we can enjoy a meal outdoors without people spying us through the empty lot behind our house.

- I joined a book club, and met some really great ladies through the club (I had met a few before, but got to know them a little better now).

I still feel like I'm waiting for summer to start, since it just hasn't gotten that hot here in Big Sky Country yet, but I'm hopeful. "

I'll post pictures at a later date...

The Best Big Brother and Sister Ever!

2009-02-21T11:58:00.005-05:00

Jimmy and Susie have been amazing older siblings. They are both so excited to see Gabe every morning, and they want to be a part of everything he does. Whether it is helping with his bath, finding a pacifier or wiping some drool from his chin, they want to be involved. Jimmy goes beyond helping with the everyday tasks, and he seems to have bonded with Gabe. One day I let Gabe nap on the middle of my bed while I showered. When I was done, I came out and saw Jimmy laying next to him, talking to him in a soothing voice, telling him all about his toys and giving him advice on life. Susie is great at giving me up-to-the-minute updates on Gabe: "Gabey's eyes is open", "Gabey's eyes is closed". She has also renamed all of her baby dolls "Gabe"... She differentiates them from her brother as "My Gabe" vs "Gabe" or "Gabey". Susie also makes sure that "Gabey" is never without his lovey, at least not unless she is playing with it. :)

Jimmy talking to Gabe
Susie kissing Gabe's feet

They are both wonderful helpers and very loving with their baby brother, and Sam and I are blessed to have such incredible kids.

Grandparents and Grandkids

2009-02-21T10:16:00.004-05:00

Now that we live closer to our families, both sets of Grandparents were able to come and visit when Gabe was born. Gramma Paula arrived a few days before and relieved my fear of having two kids under 5 in the delivery room with me (Thank you, Paula!). Pop (Tom) decided after Gabe was born that he would rather drive to Bozeman and meet his new grandson than hang out in Rocky Ford alone all weekend, so he arrived on Friday. Abuelo (Ray) and Nana (Juanita) drove out on Saturday as planned and arrived in time for dinner.
Here are some pictures from their visits.

Gramma and Gabe in the hospital

Pop and Gabe, One day old
Gramma and Gabe at home

Pop, Sam, Jimmy and Gabe - the Brubaker Boys

Abuelo and Gabe

Nana and Gabe

Abuelo, Nana and the Brubaker Grandkids

Abuelo and his little rascals

Introducing Gabriel Thomas Brubaker!

2009-02-03T14:49:00.005-05:00

On Thursday, January 29th 2009 we welcomed our newest addition to the family. That morning I was contracting and went to the hospital where the doctor decided to go ahead and break my water to move labor along. So at 8:40 my water was broken, a few hours later I started experiencing the loveliness of back labor, and at 3:08 PM beautiful Gabriel Thomas was born. When he came out he was as purple as can be, which was the only thing to lower his APGAR scores, but his color rebounded quickly and he was very alert. He weighed 8 lbs, 14 oz, which is WAY bigger than I ever expected. Big brother Jimmy was 7 lbs flat and Big sister Susie was 7 lbs 11 oz, so I never expected a baby who was over a pound bigger than the last. But we'll keep him. :) He was 21 inches long and while it took a little longer for labor to progress than with the other kids (6 hours from water break 'till pushing, while the other two were 5 hours), the nurses and doctor said his birth was fast, and that it contributed to some slight bruising on his head (which I never could see, but they are the professionals, so I believe them).
Gramma Paula was watching the older kids at home, so she brought them to the hospital once we were out of the delivery room. Sam had gone with Gabe to the nursery to get his immunization and first bath, and I was waiting in the room to see my kiddos. They were so excited to meet the baby, and Jimmy was impressed that my belly wasn't "SO BIG" anymore (thanks kid, I was so afraid you would ask why I still looked like I had a baby in my belly).

When daddy got back with Gabe the kids and Gramma took turns holding him, and then they had to go eat dinner and go to bed while Mom enjoyed the peace of a night in the hospital (not so much).

I had planned on milking the delivery for all it was worth, and staying the full 48 hrs allowed by insurance in the hospital, but after that first night I changed my mind. It was so hard to sleep with nurses coming in and out all night, and I really missed my bed, my refrigerator and my satellite tv. So as soon as all of the tests were done on the baby, we got packed up and went home. Paula made us dinner that night and I got to tuck my little, um... big kids into bed. All in all a pretty good couple of days!

Wah Wah Wah

2009-01-21T23:06:00.003-05:00

I try to schedule my OB appointments for when Jimmy is at school, but once or twice I have had both kids with me for an appointment. They get a big kick out of hearing the heartbeat, and when we come home they will get their toy stethoscopes and "listen" to the baby. In fact, they don't EVER use the stethoscope on people's hearts, always on the belly (which is interesting, because the doctor uses a doppler, not a stethoscope).

I love being their patient as they hold the chestpiece to my belly and then they say "wah wah wah" over and over.

And then inevitably they will have to listen to the "baby" in each other's belly and also in Daddy's belly.

Knock, Knock!

2009-01-11T22:54:00.001-05:00

Jimmy and Susie have become obsessed with knock knock jokes. I guess we owe our "thanks" to Shelby, Aunt Sommer and Uncle Danny. This summer Shelby learned the joke
"knock, knock
who's there
Shelby
Shelby who?
Shelby coming 'round the mountain when she comes! toot toot!"
So Jimmy started making up his own knock knock jokes, the punchline of which were usually something like "picture carrot" or "car tree"... he really doesn't get the notion of a pun. Well, after our Disney trip, and another week with Shelby, the kids have been on a knock knock kick.
Now Jimmy has a few memorized, such as "Pencil fall down if you don't wear a belt" and "House the weather outside." But Susie's jokes usually go something like this:
"yawk yawk! yawk yawk!" (that's "Susie" for Knock knock)
"who's there?"
"Ummmm... "(looking around)... "House" (or picture or baby)
"House who?
"That house" (pointing to the doll house, or "that baby", "that picture")
"ha ha ha ha ha!"
She is so funny when she says "yawk yawk!"... her eyes go all crazy and she gets so excited that her hair practically stands on end.
Good times, good times!

Happy 2009!

2009-01-05T22:31:00.000-05:00

This year for New Years we decided to take a little road trip and explore another Montana town. So we packed up the kids and headed to Billings, about 2 hours away. We were there in time to have lunch at Olive Garden and do a little window shopping at the mall. Then we took the kids swimming in the hotel pool, where Susie and Jimmy took turns jumping off the walls and splashing us. That night we had dinner at Texas Roadhouse and went out for ice cream at Cold Stone before heading back to the hotel for a family night. We snuggled in the beds and watched "Finding Nemo" until everyone fell asleep. Our goal was to make it until the East Coast Countdown, but since we had such a full day, not a one of us managed to stay awake past 9:30.

The next day we took advantage of the New Year's sales at Dillards and let the kids spend some Christmas money at Build-a-Bear. It was Susie's first trip to that store, and she made a doggy dressed as Ariel (complete with red wig and glittery fins). We ended our vist to Billings with lunch at Red Robin.

I know, it sounds like all we did was eat, and I guess that's kind of true, but out of all of the places I mentioned (restaurants and stores), the only one we have in Bozeman is Cold Stone. So we really had to take advantage of all of our favorite eateries... Besides, I'm pregnant, so you also have to give me a break if all I wanted was to fulfill some cravings!

Maybe we should look into a different car

2008-12-26T08:47:00.005-05:00

This morning Sam got up super early so he would have plenty of extra time for his commute to work in the fresh 8" of snow. About five minutes after he walked into the garage, my phone rang, and it was Sammy, asking me to come out and drive so he could push his car out of the driveway. We think a combination of the ice and packed snow in the gutter and the depth of the fresh snow in the driveway high-centered his car, and it took one and a half hours to get the car clear. We pulled it back into the garage and then he tried to find a supervisor at work to run the Maintenance crew. Unfortunately, Sam must be the only person who didn't take today off (being the day after Christmas AND a Friday), so he ended up going in a few hours late. Good thing we have one four-wheel drive vehicle (that is high enough off the ground it doesn't drag the top few inches of fresh snow). :)

Lonely, er I mean, Relaxing Montana Christmas

2008-12-25T23:20:00.000-05:00

We haven't spent many Christmasses outside of Colorado, but this year was one of the few away from family. Because Baby 3 is due in early February, I was advised to not travel very far from home. So Sam, the kids and I hunkered down in Bozeman for the holiday.

We attended a Christmas Eve service at one of the churches we've been "shopping", then came home, had a light dinner of dips, appetizers and cold shrimp (similar to what we would have had if we were in CO and went to my sister's Christmas Eve party). Then we all opened some Christmas presents.

Jimmy got a real tool set, a tool box and some wooden boards from Pop and Gramma. He loved them, and concentrated really hard as he drove nails and screws into the boards. I was so impressed with his patience and skill!

Pop and Gramma (or "Grammy", as Susie calls her) got Susie some Fancy Nancy dress up clothes, and there isn't much Susie likes better than purple boas!

Then it was time for jammies and leaving cookies and milk for Santa and some carrots for his reindeer. We also sprinkled some Christmas Dust in the snow to help Santa and his reindeer find their way to our house. Then we tucked the kids into bed and had some eggnog. Sounds magical, right?...

In case you are wondering... my mind HAS blanked out the whining, crying, and fighting that happened all day when Jimmy wanted to open a gift early, or when he didn't want to go to church, or when he refused to eat anything besides cookies... minds are great at protecting our memories!

This morning Sam and I were so excited to play with the stuff Santa brought the kids, but the kids SLEPT in!!! Around 8 AM they finally came downstairs and saw their gifts and the stockings. Then the fun began again! Santa brought Jimmy just what he wanted, "a giraffe that falls down," and he brought Susie a baby (the baby is part of a family in a dollhouse). Jimmy also got a Leapster2 handheld game.

Jimmy with his Giraffe that falls down.
Susie playing with her dollhouse... it took a while to get her to look at her stocking with all of the fun stuff in the dollhouse.

After presents, we had a super-sweet breakfast (Caramel-soaked French Toast) and watched Wall-E. Then we went sledding (Daddy and Mommy got the little ones their first sled), came home and snacked until dinner time. Jimmy played with his new Mr Potato Head pieces and his video game while Susie played with the dollhouse and new Princess dolls. Mom and Dad even got a little nap!

Here are a few pictures from the first sledding excursion.

Even I couldn't resist testing out the new sled... but just to appease baby, Sam, and the doctor, I didn't go down head first on my belly like I wanted to.
Susie finally warmed up to the snow, after two and a half months in Montana. Although she was even happier when she ditched the hat and unzipped her jacket. She still thinks she is in the Southern heat!

We all pitched in and buried Jimmy in the snow. Once he was covered (except for his head), he wanted Susie to throw snow at his face. Silly kid!

We hope all of our loved ones had a Wonderful Christmas!

Why kids shouldn't choose their haircuts

2008-12-20T22:48:00.000-05:00

It started out innocently enough... Jimmy and Susie sitting in separate chairs at the neighborhood hairstylist. Jimmy was keeping the whole place entertained with his happy attitude and musings about Christmas, snow and being a big brother. Then his stylist asked me if his bangs were short enough and I made my big mistake... I said "Jimmy, what do you think? is that short enough?" even though I thought it was the perfect length for his hair. Well, he flattened and pulled his bangs and hair and said, "no, my hair is still falling down". So I let her cut them a little more... and he moved, so she had to cut a little more to even it out... and he moved again (see where this is going?). Add to his haircut Susie's never-ending static electricity since moving to the dryest state EVER, and we now have kids who could pass for Lloyd and Harry from Dumb and Dumber.

But I still think they look cute, it's just fun to tease.

December in Montana - in other words, SNOW!

2008-12-09T21:28:00.002-05:00

When we landed back in Montana after our trip to Orlando, it was snowing and we had several inches of snow on the ground. It was quite the switch, after being in 60 and 70 degree weather in Florida for a week! Jimmy and Sam made the best of it, along with the biggest snowman I've ever seen.

Jimmy loves playing in the snow, and he even likes it when Sam throws snowballs at him or when Sam throws him in the snow (although he stipulates that he has to land on the grass, not on the sidewalk).

We made some gingerbread cookies, and the kids helped me decorate them. This one was Jimmy's favorite - it's a cowboy.

The kids had a really cute Christmas program at preschool. Susie's class "sang" Jingle Bells, Happy Birthday and Hark the Herald Angels Sing, and Jimmy's class sang Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and Jesus Loves Me.

The Magic of DisneyWorld

2008-12-03T20:26:00.002-05:00

Ok, I've been slacking, but I'll try to make up for it with a few posts tonight. :)

This month we went on a fabulous vacation to Disney World with Sam's family. The whole group was able to make it, and it was SO much fun. We had a group of 18, including the newest addition, Bennet (6 months). We ate our Thanksgiving dinner at the Hoop De Doo Revue, which Sam thought was the best meal (a direct quote was "Fried Chicken, cold beer and toothpics on the table... best meal ever"). Besides the food, the show was great and it kept all of our group entertained, from the little ones (Susie is so mesmerized it was hard to get a reaction out of her)...

to Pop, making music on his washboard.

And finally, we got some emotion out of Susie, when she was able to participate in the show.

Some other fun times were the first night in Disney, when we returned to our room we found that Woody and Sleeping Beauty had been there to visit and leave gifts for the kids - a cowboy hat and Sheriff's badge for Jimmy and a princess dress for Susie.

For weeks before the trip, when we asked the kids who they wanted to see the most at Disney, Jimmy said Woody and Buzz, and Susie said Jessie and Buzz (all from Toy Story and Toy Story 2, for those who don't know). So when we got the chance to meet these characters, we weren't surprised by Jimmy's enthusiasm (although he forgot to ask Buzz if he could press his laser)

But we were surprised that Susie decided to pout instead of give Jessie a hug.. We aren't sure why she had a little moment, but at least Jimmy and cousin Shelby enjoyed the moment.

Jimmy had to give Donald a big "Thank you" hug for helping make such a yummy breakfast at Chef Mickey, and Susie was happy for a cuddle with Cinderella at the Princess dinner.

The kids (and their folks) had a great time at the Monsters Inc Laugh Floor, which is a comedy show at Disney's Hollywood Studios. We sat in the audience, and when they are telling their jokes and stories, they choose people from the audience to put up on the big screens. They chose Susie to "play" the part of "Boo" (the little girl in Monsters Inc). She did a great job, and she liked seeing herself on the screen. She even played "Peek-a-Boo" with the audience to fulfill her name.

For the most part we had nice weather, but one day we had some rain. It didn't slow us down, since the kids are used to the torrential rains in the southeast. We got some ponchos and churros, and carried on at the Animal Kingdom. Of course, the churros were probably the key. :)

We got to go to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas, which includes a special parade with Santa at the end, plus several hours in the Magic Kingdom with shorter lines and all the hot cocoa we could drink. It was so much fun to watch the kids' faces as they watched the parade.

Susie and Shelby loved the part of the parade with the Princesses.

Jimmy and Susie got a great view from atop the shoulders of Daddy and Pop. And Cinderella's castle looked so magestic all decorated for Christmas.

On our last night, the big kids (Sam, his brother Danny and their dad) went on a few rides at Disney's Hollywood Studios while the girls hung out with the kiddos. Susie and Shelby were still dressed in their Princess dresses from a late lunch with Cinderella and her family, and they played in a little outdoor area where we sat on benches. They were so cute and sweet that strangers were stopping to take pictures of Princess Cinderella and Princess Aurora playing.

One extra bonus to our trip was that our friends and neighbors from SC, the Salvuccis, arrived at Disney while we were still there. We got to have a few meals together and let the kids catch up. Jimmy and Logan have decided that they are going to marry each other, regardless of how many boys in Logan's class ask her, or how far away we live. Kathy and I had some good laughs and (amazingly) Susie and Lainey got along, no hair pulling or temper tantrums. The visit was fun (albeit short), and thinking of these great peeps makes me miss Summerville so much.

29 hours and counting...

2008-11-03T17:30:00.006-05:00

In approximately 29 hours our moving truck should be pulling up to the front of our house. YEA!!! I can't even attempt to explain how happy I am. The new hardwood floors look great, the carpets have been cleaned, the dining room has been painted (we still have some painting to do, but that's ok), and Sam put a cool epoxy finish on the garage floor (fan-cy!).

I spent the morning at the house cleaning and dusting (finishing the hardwoods created lots of dust). I still have some stuff to do, since Susie wasn't in the best mood and wanted to sit and "seepin' mommy", which apparently means to rock with me in the Lay-Z-Boy and pretend to sleep, all morning.

I told the kids that we have to pack up the hotel room tonight and take all of their toys and almost all of the clothes to the "red house" so we can move tomorrow, and Jimmy just came into the room with a duffle bag full of his toys... so I guess he's ready to move too!!!

Here is a picture of our beautiful new floor. My dad is coming to replace the darker flooring in the kitchen with tile (it is currently wood laminate). Wish us luck tomorrow!
Updated to add... Sam and Holcim (relocation) took the family out to a nice dinner to celebrate moving out of the hotel tonight. The Italian place in town has the best salad ever, and Susie enjoyed eating the gorgonzola cheese they bring to sprinkle on top with a spoon (she did eat some salad too). Then we got chocolate fondue for dessert... YUMMY!!!

"Caa, Peese" - translation: Trick-or-Treat!

2008-11-03T14:00:00.000-05:00

We took the kids trick-or-treating at the Bozeman Mall because although the weather has been pretty mild here, it was still too cold for our thin-blooded selves to brave the night air (even for candy).

-Oh yeah, the other reason the night was too cold was because Susie preferred to be "naked!", or at least half-naked to wearing her costume on both shoulders - we were lucky to get some tights on her skinny little legs. :)-

So dressed as a Storm Trooper and a Princess (actually a Clone Trooper and Snow White, but the kids are convinced otherwise), we spent a leisurely evening strolling the mall and accepting all the treats of the season - well, at least we can pretend it was leisurely.

The kids have been pretty good about not demanding too much candy at a time, although yesterday Susie asked me for "Caa, Peese" and when I told her "no", she cuddled up to Sam, and with her sweetest Aren't-you-the-man-who-is-wrapped-around-my-little-finger-little-girl voice, she said "Dad-die, Caa, Peee-eese?". Then she pulled her head back a little, batted her eyelashes, gave him another squeeze and repeated her plea. I told her that he wasn't going to fall for it, and she turned and with one look she said "Give me a minute mom, I'm working my magic here..." and I'm sure that if the Broncos hadn't been doing so poorly she would have been able to sweettalk herself into some chocolate, but alas, Daddy wasn't in the mood yesterday.

Baby's First Head Shot

2008-10-29T18:20:00.000-04:00

Since baby #3 was a little uncooperative during our big 20 week anatomy scan (ultrasound), I got to go in for another one. This time he was great about showing us the front parts, and he even showed his face a little, but he wouldn't move around to show anything else - so while we are still confident that we are having boy #2, we don't have a picture to prove it.

We do, however, have this fabulous picture of his profile! And don't get scared... YES, that head looks gigantic, and YES, that child still has 15 weeks to cook, and YES, he will undoubtedly get even larger (head included)... But YOU don't have to birth him! Leave that worry and fear to me... YIKES! I've gotta say that of my three kiddos, this one has the head that is most like his daddy's... the one I that has visited me in many a nightmare... But I'll be ok... maybe I'll finally have the pleasure of an epidural.

No, I push it!

2008-10-21T23:35:00.007-04:00

I really do understand the thrill of pushing the elevator button, but I would think that after ten days in a hotel, riding the elevator four to eight times a day, the novelty would wear off. But not so... the kids almost come to blows every time we are heading to the elevator. In fact, as soon as I tell them to get their shoes (when leaving the room) or when we pull within sight of the hotel before we have even parked, the kids start reciting "I want to push it"... and keep the mantra going all the way down the hall, as they try to knock each other out of the way.
So I will answer the question you are dying to ask... Yes, I am tired of hotel living! Yes, it is very nice of the company to put us up in a hotel until we can get into our new house, and Yes, the Residence Inn is nice and new, and we have the best room in the place, and Yes, the breakfast every morning is wonderful (who can say something bad against eggs, sausage, and fresh-made waffles), but it gets old pretty fast when you are dealing with little kids who don't remember staying anywhere other than home or Gramma's.
And now that I've told you all about the gloomy rain cloud of our relocation, I want to shout the news of the silver lining... We were able to move the closing on our house up a week, and we are closing this Friday!!!!! We will still be in the hotel until after Halloween, but at least we will be able to go to the house and hang out during the day. Oh yeah, and do laundry in a dryer that actually dries. :)
The past week has been busy. Jimmy started preschool last Wednesday, and he seems to like it a lot. I joined the local MOMS Club and Susie and I attended a playdate on Friday. The women seem really friendly, although I miss my friends so badly it was hard to motivate to go to the playdate. Part of me just wanted to stay home and call SC to catch up with people - I know it's sad, but I'm just trying to be honest.
We all went to the Museum of the Rockies and Yellowstone this weekend. While at Yellowstone we saw some elk, deer, buffalo and big horn sheep. Also, Jimmy is convinced that he saw a baby panda bear in the grass, lost from his mommy and daddy. Is it normal for 4 yr olds to make up so many stories? Besides the panda bear, we have heard tall tales about his teddy bear's trip to the car (including pushing the elevator button), what happened to his missing socks, the list goes on and on.
Well, I guess it's time for bed. I'll try to come back and check this post tomorrow to see if I made any sense... :)
Here are some photos of our trip to Yellowstone:
Susie hitching a ride with DaddyRo taking a break to catch her breath - it is way too high and dry here for a preggo woman used to the coast!Ro and the kids enjoying the sights (but not the sulphur smells)

We got to see a herd of Big Horn Sheep drinking water and eating dinner - and we saw a little scuffle break out in the ranks - see the two staring each other down?

Welcome to Montana! AND Welcome Winter, what a change...

2008-10-11T10:08:00.003-04:00

We have arrived safely in Bozeman, and after a full night's sleep for the whole Brubaker clan, we are up and at 'em. Awake by 6, breakfast at 7, and now lounging at 8 until it's acceptable to call the realtor to ask him to let us into our new house (we close on Oct 31, but want to take another look and let the kids see their new home).
The Residence Inn is very nice, and very new. We have a two bedroom suite, with king-sized beds in each bedroom and a sofa sleeper in the common room. A kitchenette with a two-burner stove, fridge, dishwasher, microwave and sink, some of which has come in handy for that bedtime cup of milk Susie still gets and the late night snacks mommy and daddy are accustomed to.
The kids are adjusting nicely, although they were exhausted yesterday. Jimmy already refers to the hotel as "home" and they slept great in the 2nd bedroom last night (sharing a bed).
The weather has been quite a shock to us, as we arrived during a Winter Storm Warning. As Susie keeps chanting... "I Cold, I Cold". The temp was 38 deg F, and all I packed in the suitcases is a few lightweight fleece jackets. We awoke to 1-2 inches of snow, and our UPS shipment won't get here until Thursday with our winter stuff (as luck would have it, the weather should be nicer by then).
I'll take a picture of the kids in the cold later and post it... Susie looked hilarious with the big red stocking cap we bought at Walmart after dinner and her hooded fleece jacket -the Walmart was a little understocked, so we'll have to check out the many stores Bozeman has to offer (that shouldn't take long, LOL).
The move itself was a bit of a fiasco, and luckily I got over eight hours of sleep last night and I can look back on the last few days without wanting to throw something. :) It turns out that the main moving company subbed out the move to two different companies, one to pack the boxes and furniture, and the other to load the truck and drive. Apparently they didn't agree on what tasks which was responsible for, so the loaders ended up spending 13 hrs on what they thought was a 6 hr job. And to make matters worse, the person who came to do the weight estimate (also a sub-contractor) under-estimated our weight by 30%. This past Thursday was the longest day I have had in a long time! That night while Sam was trying to get the kids to sleep in a studio hotel room by the airport, I was doing the best I could to keep the loaders from giving up and get the stuff loaded even though we had heavy rains at our house in SC (neither of which was an easy task, I actually think I had the better end of the deal).
It sure is nice to relax a bit, knowing there is nothing more to do than wait and fax a few papers for closing on our house. Aaaahhhh! I'll update more as I get my energy back (and after I warm up a little! :)

Here are a few pictures of the kids' reactions to the snow - Jimmy was in awe when he was finally allowed to go and play in it, but Susie was less than thrilled at the idea.

We also got a nice picture of our new house with snow falling - magical, isn't it?

Offer Accepted!

2008-09-28T22:14:00.002-04:00

We bought a house this weekend! It is located in the Harvest Creek subdivision, in a great area of Bozeman. It is the perfect location for Sam to catch the interstate to work, plus close to shopping and walking distance from one of the most coveted elementary schools in town (not to mention close to the only Christian preschool). We are across the street from a large park, with tons of space to run and play, plus a great playground. Not to mention, we think it has great curb appeal.

Already a slacker, but I'm back with BIG news!!!

2008-09-25T20:07:00.002-04:00

So I haven't been around much to update this, but we have big news... actually, a couple pieces of big news!!!
1. We are moving to Bozeman Montana. I know some of you know already (thanks to Facebook for helping me get the word out), but for others this is a pretty big change... you should see the southern faces when I tell them that we are moving to Montana!!! It isn't SO weird for us from the Rockies to grasp, but Montana is a LONG way from South Carolina!!!
Anyway, Sam and I have been for a house-hunting trip, and I was able to check out the preschools (not nearly as abundant as in Summerville, I'm afraid). Overall, Bozeman looks like a great place to live, and we are excited to get back on the slopes and teach the kids to ski (well, not me, since I'm preggers this year, and also 'cause I have no patience, but Sam will have fun on the slopes with Jimmy after he takes a few lessons). We have narrowed our housing choice down to a specific neighborhood, and are in the process of buying a house... although it sure would be nice if our current residence sold first!!!
2. We had our 20 week ultrasound while we were house-hunting and It's a... BOY!!!! The tech was frustrated that the baby wouldn't move to show her much more than the proof that Jimmy will get his wish of a brother, so she only printed one picture, of the baby's hand waving (or giving the "OK" sign). I'll have to go in for another U/S after we move. She did say that he looks big, at a whopping 1 pound... no idea what the usual weight is for a 20 weeker, so I'll take her word for it.
I forgot the camera on our little trip, so all I have are some shots from a disposable, and since my scanner is being finicky (it will copy, but not scan to a file, I wish I could explain that), I will have to wait to post pictures of the beautiful Montana scenery (we stopped to get pictures of the Bridger Mountains and ended up doing a photo shoot in a cemetary - nice, huh?) and the little one.

Another first day come and gone

2008-09-02T13:45:00.001-04:00

Today Jimmy started his new school. He is in a 4 morning 4-year old program at a Christian preschool in Summerville. Unfortunately I wasn't able to get both kids into the same school on the same days, but I think the alternative I found is going to work out well (especially for the short run). Jimmy took a brief venture into Montessori schooling last year (I was a Montessori kid through the 5th grade), but we decided that his personality needs a more persistant teacher if they are using the Montessori method. He needs more structure and guidance than most Montessori teachers will provide and we have moved him back to a more traditional method in the Christian preschool.
Jimmy was very excited for school to start all weekend, but when the time came, he was less than thrilled at the prospect. It was a new place and new people, and his apprehension showed. The second day went much better, and Jimmy was all smiles both days at pick up time - he even wanted to stay for lunch bunch!

As you can see from his expression: not his choice of activity for the day.

Labor Day Staycation

2008-09-01T22:50:00.001-04:00

This weekend we decided not to go anywhere, but just to enjoy our home and family. We did some not-so-fun but essential chores on Saturday (cleaned out the garage and the kids' closets), then on Sunday we pitched the tent in the backyard and had a campout. We made burgers on the grill, s'mores on the fire and then tried to sleep in the tent. Susie didn't quite make it, after 10 minutes of going around honking everyone's noses after lights out, I decided she should be taken inside. Sam and Jimmy had a great time in the tent all night, and Susie will get to try it again when she is a little older (the positive for pregnant mama is that I got to sleep on my king-sized pillow-top all alone).

The kids had very different initial reactions to their first s'mores

Are you ready for some (Fantasy) Football?!

2008-08-25T15:13:00.003-04:00

And so the season begins. Last night Sam had his first fantasy football draft of the year. I think he is playing in two leagues this year, so our Direct TV Sunday Ticket should be put to good use as he flips back and forth, checking on the progress of his players. Yes, he will also have his laptop (sometimes TWO laptops) set up on the end tables in the living room while he watches the games. You've got to stay on top of those players, or they will start to get slack!
I'm sure we will have many updates on the teams this year, so I decided not to stick around for the draft last night. His second draft is on Wednesday, and he will be gone, so I have escaped that oen as well - Whew!

Mail Time

2008-08-21T21:10:00.003-04:00

Susie got a package in the mail today, and inside she found a soft and fuzzy bathrobe. She took off the tag immediately and brought it to me so I could help her put it on - hood and all. Thanks Aunt Kathi, Uncle John and Jordan!

But she can't even hold up her bookbag

2008-08-21T21:08:00.000-04:00

That's right folks, Susie started school today. She is in a two morning a week program at a Christian preschool in town. It is the same one Jimmy went to when he was two. The cut off in South Carolina is September 1, so Susie just sneaked in with two weeks to spare. She is the second youngest and one of only two girls in the class, but she has a bigger brother and a stubborn personality, so I know she'll do fine.
This morning she saw the basket of clean clothes and chose her "doggie" t-shirt to wear. She also wore her "school shoes" (sneakers), but only because Jimmy and I wore sneakers too. And as we headed out the door on this overcast, rainy morning, she decided she needed her sunglasses, and she wore them most of the morning according to the teachers.
When Jimmy and I dropped her off she walked straight into the classroom, only stopping for a second when I asked her if I got a kiss. Then she was off, with her sunglasses and all, to the "baby" corner of the room to push the baby in the stroller.
At pick-up time she gave me a big smile when she got in the car, and happily climbed in. She didn't have much to say on the way home, just lots of smiles and squeals. Ms Leigh said that she had a good day and gave Susie a big kiss on the cheek before she closed the car door. Jimmy and I were planning on going swimming this morning, but the weather didn't cooperate (thanks, Fay), so we ran some errands instead. It was a boring morning, but we got a lot done that we wouldn't have been able to do with Susie in tow (even though we missed her).

Alpha Course... just do it!

2008-08-20T16:47:00.000-04:00

Last spring I took a course at our church called the Alpha Course. It is a 10 week course in exploring Christianity. Our family has become more involved in our church and their activities, and I felt like a "basic" course in Christianity would be a good thing for me to feel more comfortable with the church stuff. I really enjoyed the class itself, and the small group discussions were very relaxed and open, so I felt comfortable enough to ask what may be considered "dumb" questions.
Skip ahead to this week... the co-leader of Alpha (at our church) called and asked if I could be at the church at noon on Wednesday for a minute or two. I was very curious and a little apprehensive, but I said yes, that's possible. Well, it turns out they were making a short film (very short) to be shown before Sunday's sermon. He wanted me to be one of the people to answer the question "what do you think of Alpha".
So after Susie's "Meet the Teacher", we drove the two blocks to our church and I (along with three others) gave my little spiel. I am a big believer in Alpha, I think that everyone can get something out of it, whether you already have a great relationship with the Lord or if you are really just wondering what all the fuss is about, whether you are an athiest or if you are a devout Catholic or Presbyterian who has always done what was expected, but didn't really carry it past Sunday morning. So I have told many people, from close friends to almost strangers that they should check it out. Oh yeah, the best part is that it's free! Our church just asks for a donation to pay for the food they serve (you eat a homecooked meal before each session).
If you want more info, you can go to the website. http://www.alpha.org/. You can also find a course close to you. I think there are 3 or 4 churches in Summerville that offer it two times a year.

Bouquet of sharpened pencils

2008-08-19T18:23:00.004-04:00

Oh, the joys of fall! While it would be easier to get into the mood if the weather were a little more crisp, we spent the better part of the day shopping for school supplies. It took over two hours and three stores (plus a grocery store for dinner supplies)... and we are only shopping for preschool!!!
School supply shopping always makes me think of that scene in "You've Got Mail" when they talk about how great fall is and bouquets of sharpened pencils - I'm not sure of the exact quote. Ironically, the hardest thing for us to find today were the pencils... of course, they weren't normal yellow #2 pencils, but Jimmy's list included "2 Kindergarten Pencils (flat)"... WHAT??? I never realized that a degree in early childhood education was a pre-req for raising kids past the age of 3. I do pretty well when I have to decide which diaper creme or sunscreen will do the best job while using the least amount of chemicals on my kids' skin, but I had no idea what a Kindergarten Pencil (flat) was until today. Even now, I wonder if it's a typo, and it was supposed to say "Kindergarten Pencils (fat)". Doesn't that make more sense? Anyway, the third store of the day was a teacher supply store - it's called Education Station and it's the type of store that is stocked with alphabet posters and Melissa and Doug toys. I asked the knowledgable former teachers at the counter and they knew exactly what I was looking for. But there was still one more choice to make - eraser or no eraser? Now, to a layperson Mommy, it seems logical that you would want an eraser close by (i.e. on the end of your writing utencil), but now that I've googled the "Finger fitter pencil", I see that no eraser is recommended to keep kids from being preoccupated with correcting their mistakes. So for all my effort, I still may have fallen a bit short. Ah well, Jimmy doesn't start preschool for another 2 weeks, so I have time to exchange them.

I can't believe she's TWO already!

2008-08-18T07:42:00.013-04:00

So on August 11 Susie turned two years old. She seemed to immediately get older and more mature, while (miraculously) acting less like a "terrible two" - at least for a week or so. We celebrated her birthday this weekend with some friends and family. Pop and Gramma came to visit from Colorado and Susie seemed to really enjoy her party, even if she didn't really get what the fuss was all about.

Susie was a little in awe of her cake, at least the sight of it. She wasn't so impressed by the taste, as she only ate enough frosting to die her mouth black.

I don't mean to brag, but this is one mommy thing I do fairly well... I have managed to make special cakes for all of the kids' birthdays. Susie has been on a Minnie and Mickey kick lately so there was no question about what theme her party should have.

Susie loves having her nails painted. She even sat still so I could do her toes in bright red for her party. But when I took a picture to show them off, her toenails got camera shy.

Susie had her two year checkup on her birthday - and the poor kid had to have a shot. Bad mommy, scheduling like that. She was a trooper though, she cried a little for the shot and screamed bloody murder when they put a band aid on her thigh - this kid does NOT like band aids. After we removed the band aid, they gave her a special necklace since she had to have a shot on her birthday and she was fine. She is in the 90th percentile for height and head size, while 50th for weight. So she isn't as skinny as she looks, she's just tall... very, very tall. 35.75 inches, which is just a quarter of an inch shorter than Jimmy was at two... so she is very, very tall... yes, Mommy is still adjusting to the idea of being the shortest in the family

And so we begin...

2008-08-18T07:15:00.002-04:00

After a long break from updating our friends and family on the "SC Brubakers", I have been inspired to begin again. For the first time since my sister-in-law set up her blog (sorry Laura!), we logged on this weekend and I decided it was time to rejoin the land of the 'net. There is just so much that has happened since I updated our old family website (which is about to expire in a few days). I don't think there is even a mention of our little Susie on that old site - and that just isn't right! So I will try to fill in some of the gaps as we go along, but my main focus will be on the present. It seems like I can retroactively date posts, so anything before August 18, 08 is an attempt at catching up, while (logically) anything after August 18, 08 is a new update on us.

Peanuts and Pennies

2008-07-27T09:05:00.000-04:00

Now that we have been in South Carolina for almost three years, we have our regular routines. One of our favorite things to do on a weekend is to load up the kids and the double stroller and head to Downtown Charleston to walk along the battery and the Market, and then eat lunch at Jimmy's favorite restaurant - the East Bay Crab Shack. It's one of those restaurants with a hole in the table that holds a bucket for trash. They also have peanuts and a treasure chest with little toys for the kids after they eat their lunches. But the real positive for us grown ups is that the food is actually good. Most places that cater to kids (especially in tourist towns) have terrible food for adults.

Generally after we eat we will walk back to the car and stop at the Pineapple Fountain so the kids can throw pennies in and splash a bit. Jimmy knows the routine, and if we ever mention we are going to Charleston, we have to make sure to be specific about what we plan to do so he doesn't get his hopes up about peanuts and pennies.

Blueberry Pie

2008-07-24T09:20:00.004-04:00

Blueberry season is something that is long awaited in the Brubaker family. Our kids will eat blueberries by the cupful, so when I have a chance to buy them by the gallon, we jump at it. Jimmy remembers picking blueberries two years ago (last year there was a late frost and the crop was lost), and he was really excited to go again. We ended up going twice because Susie was traumatized by the dirt on her toes the first time, and we had to leave early. But the second time the kids were prepared with socks and sneakers and they had a great time. Jimmy wanted to make a blueberry pie for Daddy, so we made a cobbler (cobbler is better than pie, right?) that afternoon while Susie took her nap.

Jimmy was a great helper, he picked at least half of what we took home

Susie ate them as fast as she picked them. But when she got full, she helped fill the bucket. She would say "pick boo" when she had one for the bucket.

So definitely not twins...

2008-07-18T08:31:00.001-04:00

I know we haven't told a lot of people yet, but we are expecting baby number three!!! My due date is February 3rd, 2009. I had my first ultrasound on July 16th and here is a photo of one of the pictures. The ultrasound technician said that the baby was measuring 12.5 weeks, while the dates would say that the baby was 11.5 weeks, so we may have another tall Brubaker on our hands.
I always said that my first two pregnancies were so different that I would know "boy" or "girl" from week 8, but this pregnancy has been completely different as well. I was curious to see the ultrasound because my explanation (and lots of others - everyone has insight into pregnancies, you know) was that I was having twins. Although the picture isn't that clear, I think it's safe to say that there is only one Baby Bru cooking in there.

July in Colorado

2008-07-14T09:33:00.001-04:00

Ok, so we weren't there the entire month, but by the time we got home it kind of seemed that way. The kids and I had a great time, but it was really nice to be home. It's funny, for weeks before we left SC, Jimmy would ask "How many days until we go to Colorado?" and after two days away from his room and his toys he was saying "I want to go home to South Carolina."

Regardless of how much we all missed the comforts of home, it was a great visit. My sisters and I took the kids to the Denver Zoo (although I don't recommend a trip to the zoo in the hot, stinky summer when you are in your first trimester), we had lots of family dinners with both sides of the family and Jimmy, Sam and I go to go to a Rockies game with Tom/ Pop. Here are a few pictures. Pop, Jimmy and Sam at Coors Field.

Jimmy, Susie and Jordan with the giraffes.

Susie, Ruthie and Shelby in their matching summer dresses - thank you Gramma!

Susie, Ruthie, Jimmy, Shelby and Baby Benett (held by proud father Danny)

Bombs Away!!!

2008-06-09T14:29:00.000-04:00

Jimmy's friend Sam had his 4th birthday party at the pool his family belongs to. It was a really nice time, and Jimmy had a blast jumping off the diving board with the big kids.

You even seem to be having fun

2008-06-01T14:01:00.003-04:00

The last Saturday in May our church had a family day at Camp St Christopher. The camp is on Seabrook Island, a small private island off the coast of South Carolina. I have been to two retreats there, and it is a great place.

The surf was calm, the sand was soft, and the food was perfect (burgers, hot dogs and accompaniments). About an hour or so, Sam commented that I even seemed to be having a good time... I wasn't offended because usually I am pretty uptight at the beach, with so many people and such large waves, plus the danger of sharks (and even alligators, YIKES!), I usually don't relax much during a day at the beach. But this day was wonderful!

We buried Jimmy in the sand - Susie is trying to cover the top half of him too

Here we are taking a break with a juicebox and hooded towels

Doing the tourist thing

2008-05-27T13:34:00.004-04:00

Sam's cousin Alysa and her family (hubby Scott, son Chase and daughter Avie) came to visit this Memorial weekend. We had a lot of fun showing them our favorite places in Charleston.

The Charleston Battery

The Pineapple Fountain

Our screened-in porch

The Beach on the Isle of Palms

Jimmy had so much fun playing with his cousin Chase, he asked if Chase could be his little brother. However, Susie had a somewhat different opinion of the little man who was interested in her toys and no matter how many times she went to sleep, he was still there when she awoke.

Alysa and Scott are moving to Kansas City this summer, so we will have a long distance between us again. We hope to meet up with them in Colorado over the holidays soon.

Open Wide!

2008-05-02T13:27:00.001-04:00

Susie had the pleasure of her first dentist visit this week. She did really well, and I think I owe that to the pediatric dentist. He has a little weiner dog that he brings to the office, and she had fun watching the doggie run around while Jimmy had his teeth cleaned, and then she got her turn. Susie is a textbook little sister, in fact I'm shocked she doesn't say "me too" yet.

Through Jimmy's Eyes

2008-05-01T14:35:00.000-04:00

Jimmy got a Kid Tough digital camera for his birthday, and here are some pictures he took with it.

Here is his buddy Dylan shooting the rocket from the Buzz Lightyear spaceship

A picture of mom taking a picture of Jimmy for school

Susie all gussied up for church

Susie feeling slighted because she wants to hold the camera

Daddy relaxing after a baseball game

Hanging up the cleats... or is he?

2008-04-21T13:19:00.001-04:00

Sam has played in an "Over 30" Men's Baseball league the past two summers. He says that this summer was his last, but I'm not so sure I believe him. I know the games got pretty hot in the SC sun, but I also know how much he loves the sport and the fun of pitching from the mound. Here are a few shots of a game in the spring.

Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!

2008-04-18T09:58:00.000-04:00

About a year ago (not more than two weeks after his third birthday), Jimmy told me that he wanted a Buzz Lightyear birthday when he turned four. And true to his word, he didn't change his mind. So this week we made preparations for and executed a lovely Buzz Lightyear birthday party. While I was scared that it would be too crazy, it ended up working out fine. We had a little rainstorm during the first half of the party, but just as the kids were going stir crazy indoors, the rain stopped and they were able to go outside and run off some energy and hit the pinata. Here are a few photos, and yes, I did make the awesome spaceship cake.

Walking with the Dinosaurs

2008-04-13T16:56:00.000-04:00

As a special treat on Jimmy's birthday, we took him to see Walking with the Dinosaurs at the North Charleston Coliseum. Here are a few shots from the performance... my favorite was the Brachiosaurus, but Jimmy liked the Pterosaurs the best.

Which animal is your favorite?

2008-02-18T16:42:00.002-05:00

Sam is taking classes towards his MBA, and three Saturdays a semester he has to spend in Columbia at the University of South Carolina. So this Saturday I decided to drive him up and take the kids to the zoon during his morning class, then we met him for lunch and were home in time for naptime (oh yeah, he carpooled back later).

The Columbia Zoo is an hour away, so this is the first time Susie saw big animals in real life.

Jimmy was in a great mood, and wanted his picture taken at every exhibit.

I love this one, with the giraffes in the background.

They have a platform where the kids can feed the giraffes. Susie had no fear of that massive black tongue, and jumped at the chance to be a "big kid".

We almost skipped the reptile house, since we go to the SC Aquarium so often, but it's a good thing we didn't, it was the only part of the zoo that Susie really took an interest in... I hope she understands that there is ZERO chance of us getting a pet snake!

Paradise

2008-02-05T15:08:00.006-05:00

Need I say more? Sam and I took an adults only vacation to the Dominican Republic this winter. It was so nice to have the break. We were planning on trying for baby #3 in the spring, so we figured this was our chance to reconnect a little. Thank you to Paula and Tom (aka Gramma and Pop) for staying with the kiddos and helping them keep their schedules.

We chose The Excellance Punta Cana in DR, and we would go back again, no doubt about it! this resort is an adults-only, all-inclusive on the beach in Punta Cana. It had everything we needed and more!

The beach even had elevated king sized beds for lounging on during the day

Every dinner was special - the food was great, the tables crayon-free and we could eat anytime we wanted (we didn't have to get in before the rush and in time for baths and bedtime).

We took a tour of the area, which included stopping at a sugar cane plantation,

a cigar rolling demonstration,

and a chocolate and coffee farm. This fruit holds the pods from which chocolate comes.