Are you ready for some (Fantasy) Football?!

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

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

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!

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

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!

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...

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

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

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...

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

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!!!

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

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

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!

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

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?

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!

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

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?

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!