For the Birds

Birds really seem to like our backyard. I've never lived anywhere where there is such a big variety of birds in the WINTER! This is a new phenomenon for me! I hear them singing everyday, and I think it's great. Anyway, I think these birds are mockingbirds on a chair on our back patio. How cute are they?! That chair seems to be a favorite perch of theirs, which makes it great to watch them, because that chair is only a few short feet away from the dining room window! Just don't poop on my chair!

Matt's Schooling/New Job

For those who are interested, here is a little summary of what Matt is learning in tech school, and what his new job will be. It's nicknamed SPINSTRA, meaning Special Instruments Training. This info was taken directly from the Goodfellow AFB website.

TRAINING:
SPINSTRA starts with airmen and NCOs who achieve the highest scores on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Test. After spending 9 weeks learning electronics principles, students are taught a core of essential knowledge including nuclear physics, mathematics, computer fundamentals, and system administration. The students are then entered into specialized training based on their first duty stations.

GRADUATES:
Graduates of our courses can be found working on all seven continents of the globe. We take great pride in developing future Air Force leaders!"

Or, if you would rather SEE what he does, here's an actual video clip that previous students made.... By the way, these people will be his co-workers!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3PzS6yWEp0

I just have to say, I love my GEEK!!

Slippers

In this house, I practically live in my slippers. I'm not a fan of cold tile floors on bare feet (and I don't like wearing socks either- I know, it's a strange quirk). Anyway, the other day, I LOST my slippers! I looked everywhere I could think of, but had no luck in finding them. So, today, here's how things went down:

Amanda (to Matt - practically desperate): Hey, have you seen my slippers? I've looked EVERYWHERE and can't find them.

Matt: Uh-uh. Sorry.

Darren: OH!! OH!! (while excitedly running to the baby swing). EE EE IS!!! (Here it is!)

He picks up a slipper out of the SWING and runs back to give it to me. Then he goes to get the other one from the same place with a great big smile on his face! What were my slippers doing in the baby swing?! I certainly didn't put them there! And I don't think Matt put them there either! Next time something goes missing, maybe I should ask Darren first! I should have asked him yesterday!

Computer Desk Drama

One of the tradgedies of our move is that our computer desk didn't make it. The movers lifted it up to unload it, and there was a crash! One whole side of the desk collapsed into pieces! Look at all those broken pieces on the ground! So, a new desk became an instant necessity. Good thing the movers owe us the replacement cost.

Since we live in a modern world, we couldn't live without the computer (internet), so Matt put his creativity and resourcefulness to good use, and came up with this! He's calling it desperation! Either way, when he finished, we took a step back to look at it, and thought one word: GHETTO! It is SUPER UGLY, with nowhere (really) to organize anything, which ended up making it look WORSE! It drove me CRAZY!!!!! Do you like the packing tape holding it together/stabilizing it?!
After lots of research and looking (there are actually shopping choices here!), we chose an armoire that we like better than our old desk. The store didn't have it in stock, so we had to order it online, which was fine, because shipping was FREE, and it was cheaper online! Anyway, when it got here, Matt refused it, because the box had been opened and it appeared to have damaged pieces. Just our luck! So, we called customer service, and explained what had happened, and wanted another one sent in it's place. Unfortunately, in the 3 days from when we originally ordered it, 'til we tried to reorder it, it became discontinued, and was no longer in stock anywhere! We kept bugging them over a couple of days, and finally a customer service rep called US to let us know they were going to refund our money, and I asked one more time if they had any in stock to resend, and this person actually seemed to know what she was doing. She looked on her computer, and said "oh yes, we have two in stock right here!" So, she reordered it for us, and we got it 2 days later, everything fully intact! FINALLY!!! Of course, that night, matt started the assembly process, and Darren thought he should help too! It was so cute, I had to take a couple of pictures!

And....... here's the finished product - all opened up!

Here it is - closed! SO MUCH BETTER than our make-shift ghetto, temporary desk!

THE END!

My boys!

Taking a break from laundry to play with Darren. Hmmm! Is he on my stomach or my back?! Gotta love that grin!

I went to check on Darren today shortly after I laid him down for his nap because I could hear him playing. And, of course, HE was not in his bed.

Apparently he thought Mr. Bear needed a nap more than he did!

This morning, Darren thought his little truck magnet needed a bath, and so of course he had to help! Good thing he needed one too! (notice the magnet in his right hand, with the sticker in his left hand, with the body wash between his feet!) Oh, the things that happen when you're changing the baby!

Joseph has discovered his toes!

A lazy Sunday afternoon! Don't they all look so handsome! I love my boys!

"Help Me!"

The other day was laundry day at the Coleman household, and Darren was watching me gather everyone's laundry and start sorting it. He then disappeared for a minute, and came back with a pretty big armful of my CLEAN clothes he had gotten from the closet! Fortunately, I stopped him in the knick of time from throwing them on the pile of dirty clothes. Then, he helped me put all the clothes inside the washer, and he had to push all the buttons. This whole time, he kept saying "help me!" (help you) over and over again with a great big smile on his face and nodding his head. It was super cute! Then once I got the washer going, he excitedly pulled up a box to sit on, and sat there to watch the washer wash the clothes (we just got a new front loader, and he thinks it's fascinating!) It was so funny to watch him - you'd think he was sitting down to watch his favorite movie (which is Cars, by the way)! He sat there watching the washer for several minutes. I should have gotten a picture of it! Oh, well.

A little later the same day, he pulled out the broom and started "sweeping" also while saying "help me!" He's also been pretty good lately about putting his dishes in the sink after meals - without being being told! I hope this helpful streak sticks around!

Listen to my CD!

Yay, I figured out a way to post my CD (see previous post), so you can listen to it. It's the whole thing, and it all runs together, because I had to make it a video. There's really nothing to watch, so just click the play button, and do something else while you're listening. There are only 6 songs, and runs about 18 minutes. I hope you like it!

Here's the song order:

1. Per la Gloria, D'Adorarvi
2. Ombra Mai Fu
3. Porgi, Amor
4. Homeward Bound
5. Elle a Fui, la Tourterelle
6. All Creatures of Our God and King

Amanda's Latest Project

My last few months in Alaska, I was working on a VERY big, but EXCITING project!! I've wanted to write about it on our blog for a long time, but had to refrain, because I was using my "project" as Christmas presents for my family. For my project, I recorded my very first CD! It's been quite the experience, and took quite a bit of work. I think every emotion possible has gone into this project at some point. Matt and the boys have been so patient and supportive through this whole thing, especially toward the end, when I was practicing a lot more and messing around on the computer trying to create a cover/label I liked. (My brother, Leonard, came up with the design I chose though). I started this project around the beginning of summer, and recorded the week before Thanksgiving. I didn't tell very many people what I was doing, because part of me wasn't sure it would actually happen (pregnant, new baby, moving prep, etc.), and another part of me wasn't sure I'd like the results. But overall, I am pleased with how it turned out. I can pick out technical flaws in every single song, but I'm trying not to dwell on that. :) I already have plans for 2 more albums, due to Matt's request (I have a great hubby!). Anyway, if I can figure out how to post a sample or two of this CD, I will. In the meantime, you'll have to just look at the cover!
If anyone would like a copy of my CD, email me to make sure I have your address, and I'll send you one. Who knows, maybe someday I'll be famous, or at least be a real opera star! That would be awesome!

Our House.........

K, so here go - pictures of our very colorful house! We officially spent our first night in our house on New Years Eve. It was SO nice to crawl into my own bed! I slept so much better! We still have so much to do to make our house functional before Matt starts school on Monday. Our movers were terrible and the boxes are incorrectly labeled, and have stuff from multiple rooms in the same box. It's so frustrating trying to find things. GRRR! Oh well. We'll find it all eventually. Anyway, enjoy the sort of tour of our very bright house!

Here's the front! I love that we get lots of shade!

Here's the back! That's a pecan tree full of lots of yummy pecans - we have 2 trees of them!

The backyard! Darren absolutely loves it! He has lots of room to run, and doesn't need a coat!

Our bedroom! Matt kept trying to sneak into the pictures. What a goof!

Another angle of our room. I absolutely HATE the pink!

Joseph's room!

Darren's room! I actually like this blue for his room. It matches his stuff!

This is the boys' bathroom! Good thing they're too little to care about the color! Pink has it's place in this world, but the walls of my house should NOT be that place! Maybe it's a good thing I have boys!

My teeny tiny orange kitchen!

The living room reminds me of an orange creamsicle! And, as a bonus, this is the beginning of Matt's little "troll" dance! It's very funny, and makes me laugh every time he does it! Next time you see him, persuade him to do it for you!