A wordy update

I haven't updated my blog in ages.  Partly because I have been crazy busy.  And partly because it doesn't seem like anything blog worthy has happened.  Those two statement kind of contradict each other, but I've been busy with boring-ish stuff that would not make a very exciting blog post ;)

So I'm just going to do a general update.  For those who are interested and also for myself, so I can look back and say "oh yah, that's when we were finally diaper free in this house" :D

THE HOUSE:
Our house is far from finished but well on it's way.  Our bedroom needs to be carpeted and we need to pick some type of ceiling fixture (the fan vs chandelier debate continues).  The bedroom being completed will affect many other rooms in the house.  Jacob can have his room back (his room has all of his furniture, our furniture, storage totes, extra lamps, mirrors, pictures etc), Justin's clothes can be kept in our OWN room, and the play room will look more like a play room and less like a laundry room.
The bathroom floor still needs grout and then we can put it back together. 
Then we will work our way downstairs and box in the big exposed beam, drywall over the gaps in the wall, paint the walls, and refinish the floor.  That seems like a lot of work, but compare to the work that has been done so far, it's really not bad.  The footprint of the living room will stay the same, so that makes life easier. 
We will give the office a face lift. As fond as I am of mint green, it's time for this colour to go.
The kitchen and playroom are last on the list.  The play room addition was poorly built and needs to eventually be torn right off the house.  The cement floor has shifted leaving a corner of the room slightly lower, it's freezing cold in the winter and steaming hot in the summer.  It has wood panelling and a drop ceiling. It really does not have any redeeming qualities.  So we are dreaming of tearing it off and adding a big family room back there.  Lots of windows so that we can see our backyard and maybe a sliding door for easier access to the bbq area. It would be lovely.  But for now is just a dream. 

JUSTIN:
Justin has settled into his new role at Pro as project manager. He is enjoying being in the office and we are enjoying his more regular-ish hours.  He has much more responsibility, which brings along more stress, but he is coping well and doing a great job.  As I type this he is most likely in the air flying to Philadelphia.  He is there for a trade show until the end of the week.  And in a few more months he will get to go to either Los Angeles or Scottland for a golf trip paid for by suppliers.  So there are some perks for the added responsibilty :)
Justin is still very involved with the Southwold fire department and of course has all the above house renos that keep him busy in the evenings and weekends.  He is looking forward to summer to get some more outside projects done, too.  

EMILY:
Emily is doing well at school.  She is reading and can make her way through a book if you give her enough time :)  Every day I see more progress and she is spelling quite well. 
She is still a daily challenge with lots of questions, dramatic emotions, and quite the stubborn streak.    She is very excited to be a flower girl in two weddings this summer (for her Aunt Lisa and Aunt Lauren), and keeps asking me how many more days of school there are until summer comes.  
Emily has quite a nice group of friends from school, church, and family.  She is only 6, but sometimes the arguments I hear about sound like something a 16 year old girl would be going through.  I am bracing myself for teenaged Emily.  I think Justin may not survive it.  ;)   
Emily is a strange mix of emotion and logic.  She has matured emotionally this year and is now leaning more towards the logical side of life, sometimes getting along with Justin better than she gets along with me.  She told me a joke the other day that I didn't think was too funny.  She told me she would tell it to Justin when he got home because "Dad gets me better than you do, mom".  ;)  And that is sometimes very true. 
She is very artistic and loves to draw and paint.  She is now in grade 1 piano and doing very well.  We never have to bug her to practice as the piano is played for hours and hours every.single.day.  I am not complaining, but am looking forward to her skill increasing a tiny bit!! 
Emily and Jacob get along much better than they did 6 months ago.  There are still many fights in a day but also many hours of playing. And they miss each other when one is gone.  I am so thankful for this development and prayed continually for this to happen.  It is so nice to see them enjoy each other.

JACOB:
Jacob makes me laugh about 100 times a day.  He is almost always happy and loves to be at home.  He has a joyful personality and likes almost everyone.
Our big news with him is that he is finally potty trained.  It took a long time and I think I tired at least 10 different times to get him to this point.  Emily was potty trained in 1 day, so this was hard for me.  I never pushed him for more than a day or two, and then we would take a month or so break when it just wouldn't click.  But now he is fully trained and takes himself to the bathroom without any help from me.  I am so relieved as I was worried that he would not be trained in time for JK in the fall.
Jacob is going to "Ready Set Grow" at STCCS one morning a week for 2 hours.  He LOVES it and we will both be sad to see it end this month.  He is looking forward to starting JK in the fall and I think he will adjust well and really love it.  When Emily went to JK, we had lots of tears and arguments.  Although I can't predict the future, I really can't see this happening this time around.  It will also be interesting to see the change in Jacob.  When Emily went to JK she already knew the year's curriculum.  Her letters, numbers, shapes, etc etc. But Jacob really doesn't know any of this, so it will be neat to watch him learn.  In the three weeks of Ready Set Grow he learned about robins and plants.
In my opinion Jacob's speech is still delayed.  He has trouble with many sounds like L,N,R,F and ANY blends.  I have taken him to a speech therapist and they told me he is fine.  But we haven't had an appointment lately so I think it's time for another visit.  It is frustrating for him to not have the ability to communicate well, and any non-moms usually don't understand a word he says.
Jacob is a true boy and loves dirt, bugs, technology, and trouble.  In fact, I just had to take a break from this post and rescue a toy car from the toilet bowl.  Yep, trouble.
He loves to be outside and will play for hours in the sandbox.  Inside, he LOVES playdoh, and the iPad.  He can navigate our ipad, computer, and laptop with ease and from time to time has shown me how to fix a problem on one of those devices. 
Right now his passions are Mario, Spider Man, and Angry Birds.  He is past his Thomas phase and has moved on to 'big boy' toys.  He is growing like a weed and I have to take several shirts or pants out of his standard wardrobe each week.  I am sad to see him grow.  I would like him to stay my little boy forever.  I dread the day that he no longer wants to sit on my lap or give me kisses.  So I am cherishing each moment :) 

ME :):
Lately, almost every day has something written on the calendar.  The school auction kept me busy at the beginning of the year and then once it was over, the church bridal shower took it's place.  I love being involved in my kid's school and our church.  I have experienced so many blessing from being on committees or involved in a function that when my life seems so busy that  I don't know if I'm coming or going I know that it is all worth it.  I am on one committee at the school and 3 committees at the church.  So there are lots of meetings and time consuming projects, but God has blessed us with Justin being home more in the evening, my kids being of ages where they can come along to meetings and behave (fairly) well, and people in our church who are willing to babysit and help out when needed. 
This is my first year teaching Sunday School and I have loved it.  I have learned many things this year, even though the bible stories we teach are for grade1 and 2 children.  I have also learned much from my co-teacher and consider it a blessing and privileged to teach with her.  I have enjoyed getting to know some of the older children a bit better and form relationships with them.  Each one has a unique personality and I am so glad that I get to be a part of their lives.
Two of my sisters (technically Justin's sisters, but I consider them my own) are getting married this summer and I am involved in both weddings.  Emily is a flower girl in both, and Justin and I are the MC's for Lisa's wedding and I am the matron of honour in Lauren's wedding.  I am so excited for both of these events and have been spending many hours planning and brain storming up ideas for both.  I have had so much fun dress shopping with both theses ladies and they are both going to look stunning on their big day.  I am planning a shower for 70 people with Lauren's to-be mother in law, so pretty soon that will start to take over part of my life.  But I can't wait.
I will be home alone for 3 days a week starting this September.  Many people ask me what I will do with my time, but I have big plans.   I would like to seriously learn how to sew.  I took 2 classes with a lady from our church, but I have never sewn before in my life, so I still don't have much of a clue! I would also like to join a gym and start exercising.  It is hard to exercise when you live in the country. The roads are not safe to run on, and it's a 20 minute drive to the gym, making it really impractical.  So next year I can go to gym right after I drop Jacob off at school.  I am really looking forward to it. 
I also am looking forward to being able to volunteer more at the school as I won't have to find a babysitter for Jacob.  I will also make use of the three days for things like dr's appointments, grocery shopping, etc etc.   And there are an infinite amount of house projects I can take one once I have a full day without a trouble making three year old running around.  So I will be busy, I'm sure!
I, too, am REALLY looking forward to summer.  And the relaxed days that it brings.  I am hoping to convince Justin to put up a swimming pool and build a deck this summer.  We will see :) 

So that was my LONG, and quite possibly boring, update :)  If you're still reading this, thanks for your interest :)
I have had several requests for food, craft supplies, and a few cries for help (when you make the cat angry, she will bite your feet - something my kids seem to not remember well), so I better get going!