Day #21:Underwear

There comes a point in every boy's life when you just get to sit around in your underwear and watch a movie.

Today was that day.

you're welcome.

Day #20: Hide and Seek

We have been playing a LOT of hide and seek.

This is how we play.
James counts to ten: onnnne, twoooo, threeeee, fourfivesixseveneightnine, TEN!!! I have found his counting pace to speed up in a direct correlation to how fast the hider is removing from his sight.
He also counts with his eyes open. But we're working on that.

Once he has counted- quickly- he goes on a tip-toe tour of the house.

If you are not found just around the corner, he starts calling your name with increasing panic.
"mom? Mom? Mommm? MOM?! MOM!! MOMMMMMMYYYY!!!" It might be pathetic if it weren't so funny.
I know, I know- he's going to be in therapy because of me.

Here's how Oliver plays:
He starts counting and then HE goes and hides. When he gets done counting, and you're standing there looking confused, he POPS out of his hiding place with a big "Ifoundyou!!!" said with a binky clenched between teeth.

The proof is in the pudding.
I guess if I were as small as he is, I would totally claim a vacant bookshelf as a hiding place. He just looks so cozy!

Here's a video of this whole thing with me counting, James hiding (and I really didn't tell him where to hide- he figured that one out on his own), and Oliver giving him away.

All But Dissertation

All But Dissertation is the step before graduating with a phD or DMA.
It's affectionately known as ABD.

And I can now announce that Mr. Nels Drue Daily is officially ABD, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

It's like being a dr. without the dr. part attached to your name.

I am so proud. We have been 'students' for 6.5 years. 6.5 years without a steady income. 6.5 years of stretching our budget as tight as possible. 6.5 years of hard work, multiple jobs split between the two of us, late nights and early mornings. 6.5 years of riding the bus to school and work- Drue really has done this. We do not have a second car so he has been riding his bike, walking, and riding the bus to school AND work for 6.5 years.

He has worked so hard. I do not say this glibly. Hard hard HARD.

And when he graduates in May, he will be the only person in his family with ALL 3 DEGREES, and be the only one with all 3 degrees from different universities, and and the only one without a single degree from BYU. (I'm referencing the one in Provo)
He'll also be the only one with a degree in something other than the hard sciences:)
I guess that makes us, like SUPER black sheep.


I'm not prone to boasting:). But this accomplishment I feel calls for a special blog post.

Congratulations hon!!! The light at the end of the tunnel is ALMOST HERE!

Feel free to add your congratulations in the comments:) I know he'd like to see them.

Day #19: Family pictures redux

My friend took family pictures for us this year. She was great- we were in and out of pictures in less than an hour! That's my kind of photo session!

James- 5 years old

                                                                  Oliver- 2.5 years old

                                                           Two boys: 37 years, cumulative

                                               The family: 67.5 years old, cumulative.
                                                           Almost 7 years old as a unit.

And I will expect a 'happy anniversary' from each and every one of you...... come April 29th.

Day #18: The difference apparent

This video clearly shows the difference in personality between my two boys.

Just seconds before I took this, both boys were laughing, jumping and being all-around cute.

Then I tried getting video.

Note to self: just sneak up on them doing funny things. NEVER let them know you're getting the camera.

If you surprise them, they will continue to be adorable.

If you clue them into your intentions, they will either freeze in the spotlight or go wild with performance.

But I got a couple cute stills of them.

Day #17: What I made

What do you get when you take one sleeping owl...

                                                     And one awake owl......

                                                      And put them together?...............

                         Well first, you get an accurate picture of what my bedroom looks like at 6:00 this morning. I am the awake owl. That would be because my devil charming children woke up WAAAAY too early this morning.
       You also get a preview for a friend's birthday present. I made these all by myself. Hand stitched, stuffed and loved. I think they are darling.
        What's that? You want one or two? Sure. They are a million dollars a piece. Just kidding. Only $200. Maybe that's a bit over-priced. But my sanity is worth at least that much.

Day #16: a little bit of trivia

When you see a cloud trail in the sky and you think it might be from an airplane or a rocket, you are automatically incorrect. James says it's from a shark- a cloud shark.
And he cannot ever be wrong.
Ever.

Cloud shark.