Tucson

As if things weren't crazy enough for the month of May, I spent the first two weeks of the month in Tucson, Arizona for work. We have a proving grounds there, and my current project is going to require some travel, especially this summer.

The middle of May isn't generally the best time to hike in Arizona, but that's what we did anyway. Saturday was a burner, but my colleague, SeeChew, and I found a likely trail up the mountain north of Tucson (on recommendation from some locals) and gave it a shot.

We lost the trail, but still managed to get a good hike in. We're about as far as we can go up the canyon, looking back at the city below. Lots of cactus.

On Sunday afternoon, we met up with a couple more people from work and went up to Madera Canyon, south of Tucson. It was much cooler, and a much different environment. Very pretty. Very dry this time of year, but there were a couple little springs with some water and we saw a couple of deer.

We got to the top of the loop trail we were on way later than we intended, so our decent was mostly in the dark. Fortunately, I had a small head lamp and SeeChew had a little flashlight so we made it, but I wouldn't recommend that approach in the future. Here we are, heading back down.

Progress

Sorry for the drop in posts here, but the Pandemonium Fam has been creating chaos at a crazy rate and I just haven't had a chance to sit down to try and record it.

Life continues, of course. Anya is growing like a weed and starting to talk in grunts and truncated words. Of course mommy understands her perfectly. She loves to be right in the middle of everything. Paxton is wrapping his three-year old head around the prospect of moving again. It seems like he's taking it a little better than six months ago - mostly just understanding what it means I think. Kenrick and Anthony are doing excellent in school. They are in the middle of soccer and are enjoying that. They should be able to finish out the season before we have to move.

 Last night we stayed in our new house in Monticello for the first time. We pushed to get the closing done as soon as possible and got everything wrapped up on Friday. We won't actually move until the last week of May, but Andrea will be able to do some painting and Dad is coming to put together a garden shed for me so that I have somewhere to store the lawn mower and tractor.  And I have to be in Tucson, AZ for the next two weeks. Lovely timing, huh?

Anyway, we do seem to be making some progress. Things should level out a little bit once we get moved and settled in here. It will be nice to not have to travel between Aurora and Decatur once a week, although I will be back and forth to Arizona a couple of times this summer. We'll probably try to bring the family along for at least one of those trips, so that will help. And Andrea will have a new house to decorate and a new garden to plan and plant. I'll try to keep you posted...

Undone

"Paxton, what are you doing walking around with your pants undone?"
"Um, they keep undone-ing"

Popcorn and Cutie Pie

I haven't had a chance to put up many pictures lately, so here's a few of the two littlest chaos makers.

Paxton loves the bubble machine that he got for his birthday. He especially likes to shoot bubbles in the house when Mommy isn't looking.

Miss mischief.

Lately, Anya has been very interested in trying to put clothes on. She usually succeeds in getting one leg stuck in a random opening in whatever she's trying to put on. We caught her yesterday with a pair of Paxton's underwear and two of her shirts pulled up on one leg, and a pair of sweats on the other leg. Classy!

If at first you don't succeed, try switching legs...

She's always seemed to like shoes. She's not too good at putting those on either, nor can she tell the difference between her shoes and Paxton's (or mine, for that matter), but that doesn't stop her from trying.

I love that toddlers sleep like they play. Full bore.

Cheesy-face from Paxton, full of barbecue and happily dissecting an Oreo.

Big News

We're feeling a little bit overwhelmed this week with various activities piling up and me being bounced hither and yon (see the previous post), but we've got some big news.

We have a new roof.

Wait, that's not it. Although it is true - the roofers banged away all day and gave Andrea a headache. Also, Kenrick and Anthony started soccer. With two different teams and two different practice schedules. And the second septic inspection reported a clean (so to speak) bill of health - certainly big news, but not groundbreaking (thank goodness!). I think I told you already that we sold our house. No? Really? Well we did, a whole week or so ago. To the first couple that looked at it.

But that's old news. Here's the really big story.

We found a house!

It's in Monticello, a little town about 30 minutes east of Decatur. It's along a quiet, curvy little road, on a 1.3 acre lot in a forested little subdivision, a simple rectangular 70's ranch, with white brick and a walk-out basement and room for a shop. It had been on the market for a whole three days when I looked at it on Monday after work. We made an offer on it that evening. The owners countered like we expected them to and we finished signing the papers on Tuesday. We've got inspections scheduled next week and if we can get our financing ducks in a row quickly enough we may be able to close as early as the first week of May. Yay!

Okay, so here's the entertaining side of the story: Andrea hasn't seen the place yet.

Really. She saw the listing of course, and a few pictures, but there just wasn't going to be a way for her to come down to take a look any time soon, so she listened to my description and said "Let's go for it." Brave girl. That's one of the reasons I love her. I hope she likes it.

Commuting Stinks

After a couple months of making the three-hour drive down to Decatur once a week to work with my new group there, I can definitely say that commuting stinks. I've been able to work from my old office here a couple of days a week, so it could be worse I guess. I'll be glad to be done with it anyway. The guys at the rental car place know me by name.

This week was particularly bad. I had to go down to Decatur on Sunday night, stayed Monday and came home Tuesday. Then a small group of us drove to Ann Arbor, MI, on Wednesday to meet with a supplier there and drove back today. Tomorrow morning I've got to drive down to Bloomington for a meeting with another group and a different supplier before I can come back and drop the car off, a week older and 1250 miles wiser. Ugh.

Genetics

On Saturday I was working on installing a new roof vent for the bathroom fan and realized that I had forgotten to buy the short piece of pipe that connects the flexible hose to the vent. Not wanting to go back into town, I dug around a bit and found an old coffee can that I thought might work. I cut the bottom out with the can opener and proudly showed my wife.

"Looks like you've got some of your dad in you after all", she said.

I think that's a compliment.

Whooeeee!

Its windy!!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Happy Birthday Anthony

It's a new month, must be time for a new birthday at the Pandemonium house! Anthony turned eight on Saturday, right on schedule. Buddies Oakley and Ronan came for the afternoon and night to help celebrate. Look, a table full of boys!

Anthony wanted a roller-coaster cake. Mommy delivered. The kids are certain that she should be on one of those cake-decorating shows on TV.

I was looking at a bunch of pictures last night from when Anthony was just a baby. He's changed a lot from that chubby little ball of happy energy, but the look of mischievous silliness stays the same.

Time for presents. Oakley handles the obligatory rabbit ears.

A fun book from Cliff and Mary. More rabbit ears.

 Legos. Really, who would have guessed?

Number eight is the Year Of The Bigger Bicycle. Anthony picked out a snazzy orange one. Looks good, bud!

The Adventure Continues

Our newest adventure is progressing whether we want it to or not. We have our house on the market as of last Thursday and I'm slowly working my way through the list of repairs that our relocation company wants done before they will accept the house. I'm spending a couple of days a week in Decatur where my new job is and working from my office here the rest of the time and Andrea is trying to do some organizing and re-boxing in preparation for a May or June move date. And we've looked at every house surrounding Decatur and don't like any of them. Except one in Argenta, but someone else is already making an offer on that one. Phooey.

I should be more specific - we've looked at every three and four bedroom house that has a main level bedroom and bathroom and has at least half an acre. And that's colored blue. Just kidding. Well, April is supposed to be prime housing season, so I guess we'll just have to be patient.

Work is crazy busy. And challenging. I'm enjoying it very much. I'm working on a project with some of the best engineers in the company on one of the highest profile products we make. Unfortunately, it's going to require a fair amount of time in Tucson this summer for testing. Like, up to a couple of months worth. Starting in May. Great timing, huh? We should be able to break up the testing so that I won't have to spend much more than three weeks at a time away from home, but still - I'm not looking forward to being away. Maybe the Pandemonium Family can take a summer trip to visit me during one of those stays!

The kids had Spring Break this week.We spent the weekend and the first couple of days in Decatur visiting friends and looking at houses. Then, Andrea took the whole crew up to Shaumburg today to go to Legoland. She met up with Sandra and her kids (also Lego lovers) and they didn't get home until after supper. Everyone is pretty beat tonight.

Is it Friday yet?

Three for Three

A couple of belated pictures from Number Three's big number three.

Any question about how old Paxton is?

 Mommy knows that sometimes little boys just need their own little frog-shaped table and chair set.

 A bean-bag game from Grandma. Thanks Grandma!

Paxton had his birthday planned months in advance and every baking event in the kitchen brought new questions about whether this was his birthday yet, so when mommy finally put together his special "twinkle star" cupcakes he was mighty proud.

Our little fireball is three. May your enthusiasm never diminish, Paxton! Happy birthday.

Happy 10th Kenrick

In the middle of all the hullabaloo I seem to have forgotten to post pictures of both Paxton and Kenrick's birthdays. Oh well, better late than never.

Kenrick turned 10. Really. I'm not sure how that happened, but it did.  Here's proof.

Andrea made the ice cream cake.

We just had a small party for the new double-digit boy. Dig in, buddy!

Joy! Or maybe just silly.

Anya can't resist. Let me help, let me help! Ooooh, pretty paper.

Here's the crew, checking out the new Lego train set. Anya thinks it makes a fine place to sit.

When I look at my growing little boy with his big feet and long skinny limbs it's hard to remember the tiny little baby that swept into our lives and changed us forever, that little baby boy who cried and cried at night, who wanted to be held and bounced and walked back and forth across our little living room in Peoria. As the first of the clan you endured our inexperience and often overeager attempts to raise the perfect child, you survived our full attention for two years and then you became a big brother and a big helper and unique member of our funny little family. You've grown so fast and have made us so proud. Happy birthday Kenrick, you'll always be my little boy.

Just a couple more pictures. The other day everyone was tired of being inside and the temperature was hovering just above bearable, so Kenrick got his bike out and hooked up the trailer.

Who do you think is inside? Little Sister, of course! She seems to be enjoying her first ride.

It was fun while it lasted...

Now that the snow and ice and howling winds have mostly given way to spring, I have to say; it was fun while it lasted but good riddance to winter.

Happy First Birthday, Anya!

Anya turns one whole year old today. Wow.

She's the cutest little girl ever.

So what did little Anya learn this year? I mean, besides everything she knows. Well, she learned how to walk and how to squawk. She learned about bottles and blankies and cute little shoes, about grandpas and grandmas and kitties and spoons. She learned about bath time and hugs and jammies with feet, about grapes and bananas, how to sleep in a car seat.  And she learned about big brothers. Who love having a little sister.

Anthony gives her a push.

An early birthday present generates much interest among the boys.

Andrea finally gets to put pink on a cake.

 The birthday girl gets her own.

 Which, after some hesitation, gets devoured with gusto.

Presents are always special, but a giant card from Anthony is especially so. "I even put some pink in it" he proudly proclaimed.

If Anya could talk she would say "Thanks to everyone who made my first big day a bunch of big fun!"

"Now, see ya later..."