T-Day Vaca & the Next Big Thing

We left last week and went to Dothan from Tuesday through Saturday. Dothan is a good 6 hour trip for us including the stop for lunch. Fortunately right now, Luke hates and refuses to potty in public places, so we don't have to stop every 10 minutes for a break. And yes, when we went to the beach and this trip, both ways, my son held it for 6 hours. Not healthy, but what can you do with a stubborn 3 year old? (that is a sincere question. all queries...email me.) It was a basically uneventful trip. Seth doesn't sleep in the car, so of course he was a delight. Dorothy said it best..."there's no place like home!" Micah and I just aren't good travelers. Even before children...we are good for maybe 4 days and then we want to be at home. I'm glad our honeymoon wasn't longer than that because we were ready to get off the boat and be in our own place. We are weird, I know. I got to spend time with my parents, both sets, my brother's family and even spend a few girl hours with a good friend that i only get to see maybe once a year. We really needed it. Micah will be gone next week to Houston, so all I can do is ask for prayers on mine and my children's behalves. It will be a doozy of a week thanks to the "oh my stars even worse 3s" and the constant battle of the wills and limit testing. Fun times. Seth cut 3 teeth in the last 2 weeks and we have 2-3 more on the way. So again, more fun times! I feel like i'm just kind of hitting the wall on mommyhood these days. I know it will get better. But that knowledge actually doesn't help me now.

Moving on...Christmas. It will be a little different dynamic this year for the Tuckers. We have a new member (welcome Jeff!) and the McGee part of our family will be at their home on Christmas morning as will we. We both feel it is important for Santa to come to our kids' house and that we wil not be traveling on Christmas day. I'm excited because i fully intend on cooking a big lunch, even if it is just the 4 of us. And we will all get together probably during the week. I'm not sure yet. But every year when we do the big Christmas all together, presents are opened one at a time in rounds from youngest to oldest. Yes, this takes hours (no exageration) and is a humongous pain, especially when 2 of the youngest are yours. But, I'm just gonna let them run wild. Christmas is about them (everyone's kids, not just mine) and I don't think they should have to wait on their toys! I did make the suggestion to stop buying every adult their own gift as we are broke and it is really just getting out of hand. (it's a big family!) Fortunately, that worked. So hopefully things will go a little quicker and smoother this year. I have mucho shopping to get done and am hoping I can make a good dent this weekend. We are also taking the kids to Santa's Village in Huntsville this weekend, so that should be fun. I know Luke will love it! I also am gonna try to get our Christmas cards done this weekend. So if you have moved in the last year, send me your new address! Mine and Micah's anniversary is coming up on the 16th (6 years married, 10 years together). I told him i wanted an actual date and that i didn't intend on planning anything or suggesting anything (because it has probably been 10 years since that happened!) He is just supposed to tell me what time to be ready, secure the babysitting, and let's go.

So that is basically it in the life of these Tuckers. Boring. We don't have any fun Christmas parties to attend or anything special going on. But that is us. Luke has a Christmas program at school in a couple of weeks so I'll post pics (let's hope i remember my camera)!

Halloween

Just complaining

year 2 without getting to trick or treat for luke. last year he got sick for the first time. this year it rained. thank goodness we went to trunk or treat at plainview on saturday. luke did have to miss his preschool class party yesterday due to us having some morning time discipline issues. it's all about battle of the wills at our house and the sad thing is that i'm winning and he doesn't realize it. seth is taking about 4-5 steps now and will let go on his own to try to take some. he sings "e-i-e-i-e-i.." when we sing old mcdonald. that was luke's first song also. laura (micah's younger sister) gets married next weekend and emily (his older sister) is having a girl. so a few boys may get forgotten about for a little while i'm afraid come spring. that's about it for this update. hopefully here are a few pics of what has been going on in our house.
ok...or not. i'll try the pics again later.

In Other News

I know i am seriously behind. It has been crazy around our house and this week was the first of normalcy we have had in a while. I don't have much in birthday pics, thanks Micah, but i'll put up what I have at a later date. I do have a few new ones that should suffice for now. Anywho, the kiddos had their annual check up last week and everyone is big and healthy. Luke is 40 inches and 38 lbs (95% on both) and Seth is 31 & 3/8 inches and 26 lbs (93%). Seth still isn't walking. He is the laziest little thing. He has good balance and will cruise with the best of them. Luke is doing great in preschool. He LOVES it! This month they are gonna have a Halloween party so I bet that will be super cute! He is gonna be a sherriff (as in Sherriff Woody, but much cuter) and Seth is gonna be a pumpkin. We are gonna take them to Trunk-or-Treat at Frances' church next Saturday. This will be the first time Luke has ever been trick-or-treating because he was sick last year and didn't get to go. He may not like it at first, but once he realizes these people are gonna give him candy, he should be all over it!

In other not so interesting news, a friend and I joined the Wellness Center and I have been going 5x a week. It has been really fun (and therapeutic since it gets me out several nights a week for an hour or so.) I am off of work for a month and then I will start working on Thursdays sometime after Laura's wedding (Micah's sister) which is November 11th. Micah's other sister, Emily, is due to have a baby in March and should be finding out what she is having on Monday. I think everyone but one is hoping for another boy. Lots of people having babies all around me and for once in my life...i DO NOT have that fever LOL!! The 2 I've got are plenty for now.

Everyone say a little prayer for Sethy. Mama is gettin some Hulk Hogan biceps carrying that young'un around!

Happy Birthday Butterbean!

September 13, 2006

Happy Birthday Seth! As you can see, he enjoyed his chocolate cake. He got a little push tricycle that i haven't taken a picture of becasue I can't get his brother off of it!

Milestones. They are bitter-sweet. This past week Luke started preschool. It is at our church and is called Mother's Morning Out. But it is actually preschool and is supposed to be one of the best in our area. He had his little backpack and lunch bag that looks like a basketball. Now while we were getting ready that morning he was pitching a fit about everything. But when we got in the car to go he was fine. Micah and I both went. We walked him to his room (it is the room he has been in for the last several months at church) and he got his yellow chair (and trust me it has to be yellow), gave us a kiss and was good to go. When Micah picked him up (cause mama was at work) the teacher said he was good. She said he didn't like all the transitions at first (big surprise) but by mid-morning he was fine. He even used the potty at school! (This is big due to the fact that he doesn't use it anywhere. He held it all the way to and from Gulf Shores!!) He had a great time and mama and daddy didn't even get the least bit upset. He was happy to be there and I was happy for him to go! He just loves class these days.

Seth will turn 1 on Wednesday the 13th. My lazy little biscuit isn't walking yet. Not even stepping yet. He could absolutely care less. He thinks he keeps up with Luke just fine the way he is. Fortunately cool weather is coming and he can have on long pants to protect those knees if he's gonna keep crawling!

I am working every Friday right now, and will do that for another month. Andrea will come back from her maternity leave mid October I think. I started working a 3-11 shift this weekend at an assisted living home. It is boring as sin, but it's ok for now. We will have to see if it is worth the gas money to drive over there. I'll give it at least a month or so to make a decision. I'm just doing it to make a little extra money.

That's about it for now. I've actually made time to read lately and "Taking Care of the ME in Mommy" by Lisa Whelchel (Blair on Facts of Life) is a really good read for all Mama's. Especially the stay at home ones. I highly recommend it. It is a Christian based book. Next up is probably a Beth Moore book. My friend Brandy and I hope to go see her this time next year in Nashville for a girls' weekend!