Send Me On My Way

I'm way over due to write a post. It's been rainy again the last three days, it was this morning and then luckily cleared up in time for my lunch hour. It was BEAUTIFUL! The leaves are really starting to do their changing thing and the sky always looks so perfectly blue and clean and fresh and the clouds so white and fluffy and all the colors so vibrant. Some of the reasons to love Fall. Another is the less humid and cooler weather.
Saturday we spent with Ashley (Jacob was out of town with his parents) listening to some General Conference, helping around the Terry house, washing the car, shopping at IKEA and watching Ben explore there and loving it. We got him a little $3.99 potty to "practice" with. Something just to get him used to the idea of where that stuff goes! he, he! But we're not really in it to force him in to it too early. Anyway, he really enjoyed walking around and exploring there. That place can wear me out too! We had "Conference-fest" at our house Sunday. We plugged the laptop up and watched it over LDS.org and enjoyed it. We had soup, rolls and the staple sausage dip for lunch and ate out on the deck and in the house and enjoyed each other's company. We had about 12 for lunch and after, not including us- so the house was pretty full. But we, of course, love that.
So what's going on right now? Both Ryan and Ben are asleep. I'm listening to iTunes (for the moment Feist) and am thinking it's time I go to bed. BUT... I want to make sure I keep up with my blog/journal.
We're making a big change in childcare for Ben. We have been praying a lot about alternatives, especially lower costing ones lately. Our EQ Pres and home teacher came over a couple Sunday's ago and we happened to mention we were still looking for someone to watch Ben and he said a couple had recently moved in to the ward from Alabama and she (Megan) used to do some childcare before moving here. He gave me her info and I emailed her and she wrote right back. She and her husband are looking for work and this is right up her alley and she is able to watch him the time we need her to and at HALF the cost of what we're paying now. She doesn't have any kids of her own yet, so Ben will be the one and only. There are definitely PROS (mostly) and CONS... the CONS are that he's going to miss his buddies. He's a social little dude, and so it'll be hard to go from constantly being around little kids to none at all. But we'll find alternatives, and a PRO is that he'll be getting one-on-one attention. I only wish it was mine. There are several other PROS and we are just really grateful that the Lord provided for us and really for them as well, they need the money/work. The daycare directors are saddened that he's leaving... but I'm sure we'll be back once in a while. Some of the mom's of his classmates (even the ones he's bitten!) are up for play dates, so we'll definitely do those too. We want to have more kids and feel like we need to save a little first, and cut some costs down... and this has to be one of them. I met her at Enrichment and liked her a lot, and then her and her husband came over Friday night for dinner and we all chatted for hours with each other. Seems like he and Ryan will have a lot in common. So we both feel good about it and if it doesn't work though and he's not happy- we'll rethink things. I think she'll be a good fit for him and we're crossing our fingers all will be well.
Ben is just a smarty pants. He's saying or repeating a lot of words. We did an iChat with my mom tonight and he was doing his best to say "grandma". He says "cah-cah" for cracker, and he can say "hello" or even "hola". We're working on "I Love You!", he knows to say something but it sounds nothing like the phrase. But we're getting there! He's also started to say "amen" before I even do when saying prayers. I'll say "in the name of Jesus Christ..." and he'll say "Amen" before I finish! Too cute. He's very friendly. When people walk by he'll wave and said "HI!" to them. He loves to ride in the car with the windows down and if they're not he'll say "outside!" In general, he loves to be outside and is always asking us if he can go. He's got the kissing on the lips thing down, no more baby-open-mouth kissing. I'm the special one that gets them though, he doesn't do that to anyone else really- maybe Daddy once in a while, but mostly me. Yesterday I went to get him out of the car and I said "give me a kiss" and he grabbed my cheeks with both hands and planted one on Moments like that make my heart happy.
This weekend I get to have my hair cut, thank goodness by a cute girl that moved in to Ashley's ward recently. We're trading a hair cut/color for family pictures! She and her husband have the cutest little girl and so it should be lots of fun. I want to get Ryan's sisters kids together for some pictures too.
Here is his last school photo for a while, he took it about a month ago. He's so dang handsome. He didn't feel much like smiling though that morning. But we have some others that turned out pretty good.
Okay. My ears hurt, my eyes are tired and we have to wake up SUPER early... blah... I need a sleep in day.