"If Star Trek were a religion..."

Sooooooooooooo, as everyone can see (if you still check this blog) it's been a while. Now where was I? Well, we've been busy. Rollie and Lyla are growing fast. Lyla has been walking since she was about 6 months old and Rollie is still a monkey and has figured out how to climb our tether-ball pole. Demya's teaching Band at the American Preparatory Academy's SNA and TAS (you'll have to ask her what the acronyms mean). I've been working on a second BA only this time it'll have a license attached to it so I can finally get a better job. Hopefully this degree will be done including the mandatory educational-based SLAVE LABOR before December of next year. Pictures will be coming soon. (I lost my camera's power chord in our move from Colorado so I haven't taken many pictures except on my phone and I don't know how to load them from there to here.) A few of you may catch the title's reference, bonus points to you.

February... SQUIRRELLLLLLL

I think I should check in with all y'all. This month has been the most trying I can remember. I have had many trials this month starting with pneumonia at the start of the month. I was so sick that I missed a few days of school and those who know me know that I never miss school if I can avoid it. I finally went to the doctor when the cough I had just wouldn't go away. It was so bad I couldn't play my trumpet in band. The Dr. told me I had what they call walking pneumonia. Was going to take a couple of days off to get better, but my good friend and co-worker (we team teach) was in a horrible accident. She was in the ICU so I needed to go in to work. In the crash she lost her little girl Ethne. Ethne was the cutest little 2 year old, and had the sweetest disposition. It hit me very close to home and dealing with the loss of that sweet little girl and the fallout at work (missing the woodwind specialist) was stressful and difficult. Since my friend's loss, I have been giving Rollie and Lyla more hugs and kisses and cherishing them even more. One week after I got better from the pneumonia, Rollie started to cough with a horrible rasp. I took him into the Dr. and, yup, he had pneumonia. A couple weeks later, you guessed it, Lyla had a bad cough... luckily not pneumonia, but she did have an ear infection and is still on antibiotics.
A month like this one makes you so grateful for the things that are great and beautiful in the world around me. Lyla continues to grow and change she add four new teeth to her smile and is now officially crawling on her hands and knees. She pulls herself up everything and is in a real hurry to start walking. Rollie is continually surprising us with his vocabulary with words like delicious and continuous. He got a tricycle this weekend and has already learned how to pedal it. Rollie LOVES trains and will play with his Geo-Trax for hours.
After I got sick I decided to get in shape so that my body could be healthy enough to take better care of my babies. So I started taking Pilates and yoga classes and we bought me a new bike. I am enjoying both.
I love both of my children so much and I love what I get to do. I truly am so blessed!

My eye is twitching, so I thought I'd share that...

...with everyone.
Soooooo, since I'm here (I know it's been a verrrrryyyyy looooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnngggggggg time) I thought I'd let everyone know what's doing in our neck of the anti-woods.
Since the last update, we survived yet another move (August); Rollie found an increased love for trains (and GeoTrax) and turned 3; Demya and I found jobs and are still working, and everyone survived wrestling season (barely, between the colds, time, and pneumonia).

Here's a picture of Lyla, who has decided she wants to skip crawling and go straight to walking, and Rollie standing on his head while running around. (Y'all's gunna hafta use the 'majinashuns in yorn 'eads.)

More information will (hopefully) follow shortly.

'Til then,

So long, farewell, auf wiedersehn, adios...(or whatever goes there).

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She is finally here!!!

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I just wanted to update some pictures of Rollie from the month.

He is quite a character!

I

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School is finally out and I have time to work on the blog... Here are the pictures you have been waiting for. As always, if you love one of them will send you the real thing.

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Beep...Beep...Beep...LaaDaadadadadooo...Laa DAA dadadadadooo.

Unfortunately, the opening theme sounded better in my head than it looks in the title. If you're having difficulties deciphering my theme-song, think of my favorite sci-fi series of the last five-plus-decades who's name includes the initials STAR TREK (the original).
For those out of the loop, you may expect Murdock version 1.1.2g to arrive in the near future, in a galaxy very nearby. (if you don't understand what i'm saying, you're lucky.) As further clarification, which would only be logical, 1 little girl (according to the voodoo and ultrasound) will be arriving in the middle of July.
In other news, pictures will be posted of the RolliCady monster in his continued course of growth progression and evolution into small yet hardy curly-headed humanoid-ish creature as soon as I can remember where I put the camera.

Until then, ttfn

me

Holiday travels, or is it travails?

So, it's been a while. Since I last wrote I have added, I believe, three guitar lessons and have been in the wrestling room only once despite the new wrestling shoes I bought this year so I don't lose another toe nail.
Gibbie is growing up fast and is rather different form other kids his age, here is an example: While we were in Las Vegas for the finale of our "Grand Tour" Gibbie went outside to play with his cousins and to get out from under-foot. Shortly after leaving the house he fell and hit his head. Not thinking much of it I told him to rub it off, like I always do, and he tried but couldn't touch the back of his head or stop crying (which is very, very uncharacteristic). I went and picked him up and didn't notice anything until the drops of blood began hitting my arm and the ground. I sopped up the blood from his noggin and realized he needed some stitches. So, we got to make a quick trip to see is old pediatrician's staff and get a staple in his head. (I got to keep the staple remover. I foresee many more opportunities to use it over the next several decades.) The odd part of his behavior was the fact that he only cried when the nurses were scrubbing out the cut and they were his best friends after they stapled him up. How many two-year-olds still like the people that cause them pain? Oh well, that's his personality.
While we were in Salt Lake Gibbie and I had our curls removed. The little one almost did better for the hair cut than I did.
We had a wonderful Christmas and enjoyed getting to spend time with our families, and look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Pomegranates and Conductors

As I'm sitting here eating my pomegranate and trying to think of things to tell you, my mind is drawing a complete blank. The only thought that keeps entering my wee brain is, "There's naught tha' can do." I've been watching a lot of "All Creatures Great and Small" and it's beginning to take its toll on my accent and manner of speaking. Gibbie and Demya are absolutely hooked on the show. Gibbie loves the animals and Demya loves the stories. I like the landscape and accent.
Well, the patch on the Geo's gas tank didn't hold, so it's being repaired again and as soon as that's done I'll have an easier go at teaching my lessons in Hotchkiss. Then we'll have to come up with some way of getting the heater working again.
Gibbie's being himself, being Tigger, bouncing all over the place when he's not spinning circles and falling down playing ring-a-round-the-rosies by himself. He also figured out who Santa Claus is and what he does this week. The wee monkey began giving kisses this past week. Big, sloppy, wet kisses that no-one can escape. (Not even Cady.)

Well, we hope to see everyone soon and wish all of you a Merry Christmas.
I have to go and rescue an unhappily, waking monkey.

"Hiiy Doddy" and other quaint sayings.

...This and other utterances from the mouth of Babe (the pig and the curly-headed besocked-monkey [Gibbie]) shall issue forth in the forth-coming, fourth installment, of the fourth months... enough of the "fo[u]rths". Sooooo, Gibbie rode a horse, Demya and I rode a thoroughbred who was feeling kind enough to allow me on its back, and we had a great time in the Colorado Springs area.

As I said earlier, I think. At least I thought of it, so everyone should just read my mind now, I will update soon with fresh anecdotes and the update on the Geo, (it is working, but I keep breaking my tools [more about that later]) and more about what everyone wants to know...What Gibbie is up to.

'Til then, T-T-F-N.



I had to add this picture because it is so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o cold right now as I'm writing this that I needed something to help everyone in colder clime's feel a little warmer.

Signing off,

Me

Next Time...

On the upcoming post we will see if the Geo is working again after recovering from a cracked gas tank. We will also learn the inner workings of said car as we try to get the heater and fan working properly so Demya can drive it to work when it's cold.



P.S. It snowed today

Soooooooo......

here's what's been goin' on.
We almost added a new fuzzy addition to our family but, unfortunately, Cady and Austin (his name) did not get along and we had to give him back the next day.
Now for some better things...


We had a busy pre-halloween week, we went to the harvest festival at Paonia High and had fun with the little carnival there. We then went to our ward's halloween party and trunk-or-treat where Gibbie came away with a pretty good haul. Sunday brought Gibbie's first official trick-or-treating which went very well. Everyone loved it when he would say "tick... or... tree... (get candy)... tank you." We went to a little halloween party hosted by one of Demya's coworkers and had a very good time visiting and watching trick or treaters come 'round and recognizing most of the kids.

Update coming soon.

For the few of you that read this blog, I will update it by Sunday with pictures from all the Halloween things we went to and some brief anecdotes.
Until then,

T-T-F-N!

They're coming to take me away...

Ha ha he he ho ho, to the funny farm where Gibbie conducts music all day long, and he screeches sweetly in the trees...... Enough of that for now, though a video of him performing will follow shortly. If the video doesn't work let me know.

I have been told that I am remiss in my duties of updating the blog, I didn't have any new pictures until now. So, here's what's been happening.

The combined band made it to state through their performance at Western Regionals last weekend,(fall break week, so we didn't get any kind of break) and everyone involved is thumbing their noses at all the people that said this experiment wouldn't work. I am currently teaching one guitar lesson and will hopefully add a few more as soon as my back-ground check clears with the school district. (I submitted my application to the Vision School, which is the home-school branch of the district.) Demya's choir girls did fairly well this week at the district Solo and Ensemble contest(?). Gibbie is growing up faster than we want him to. This week he started saying his own prayers at dinner and night, usually remembering to give thanks for cookies and to ask for blessings for Mommy. He is bunny-hopping and he learned how to play on the monkey bars yesterday. At the park, he fits in a little better with the three year olds than he does the the kids his own age. He moves a little too fast for them and he's too strong for most of them. He is doing really well in nursery and hasn't hurt anyone including himself.

Demya was called to be the Secretary of the Primary Presidency two weeks ago and I'm loving my calling of Priesthood Opening Exercises Music Coordinator. We also get to sing in the choir on Sundays Gibby-free, because a couple "Grandmas" take the kids for the hour after block so everyone who wants to can sing. The only catch to dropping the kids off is you have to go to choir, you can't do anything else.
Cady is still alive and kicking and now letting Rollie try to ride her like a horse. She is being very patient with this new stage in her boy's life.

He enjoys attacking himself with his stamps and was very happy to show off his "Stamp and Apple Pie Face."

Ya-hoo for hymns with Latin subtexts.

I finally got my i-tunes copy of Vocal Point's "Nonstop" that has the best arrangement of "Nearer My God to Thee" I have ever heard. So that's what Gibbie and I have been listening to for the last couple months since Demya's uncle Curtis let us listen to it back in July.
Sooooo, I've been bad about the blog, again, but I do have a reason. I haven't been home much, or had internet access for several weeks. Here are some pics of Rollie for everyone. All have been taken by either Jessica or Jeff, so many thanks to them.

This photo slideshow generated with Smilebox

The new school year is off and running a little slower than Rollie. He is now imitating animals and people and is trying to leave toddler-hood as fast as he can, while being cute about it, of course.
I'll try to update more often, and if i haven't posted in a while write me a note or comment and I'll remember to let you know what is going on over here.

Time Flew With the Coup

Hello once again. Demya is at band camp for the rest of the week so I thought I better take a little time to update those who read this unfortunately inconsistent blog.
Time has just performed a coup d'eta on this summer. Two months ago school was in and Rollie was running around playing with swords and daggers and just starting to express himself with a combination of signs and words. Now he is requesting which songs we lullaby him with (excellent use of a noun as a verb if I say so myself), singing to his doll, monkeys and Cady, and throwing honest-to-goodness, full-out temper tantrums when he doesn't get his way. He is no longer just a toddler, he's turned into a little boy over the last two or three weeks. Two nights ago he stopped us in the middle of dinner to pray again, He pushed his plate away, folded his arms and said "pray." Demya then helped him say a prayer over the food and he was trying to repeat what she was saying.

Demya has begun working with the "North Fork Marching Band" and it is going well so far. This is going to be an interesting experiment in the area. They are performing selections from the "Rocky" soundtracks and it is sounding pretty good already.



July has been insanely busy and somewhat stressful. Jessica and the "Kid-O's" have spent a few weeks with us while Allen has been studying for the bar exam. It has been great having them here but there isn't quite enough room for all the energy that is in the three runners (Riley, Emma, and Rollie). While they were here this last time we decided to look into another rental property, soooo, once again we are moving. We found an extremely pet-friendly house (3 bedroom, 1 bath with big yard, basement, and separate family and sitting rooms) for rent in a neighboring town (Cedaredge) at a fantastic rate. Demya will have a longer commute to school than she did this year, but I'm closer to more guitar students and the local guitar shop (It's the only guitar shop within 60 miles) so the lesson business should pick up for me which will help us get into our own home in a few years.

Here is a picture of the house.

*All photos in this blog are courtesy of Jessica.

School's Out... (continue '80s rock song here)

So, as I was sitting here eating my granola (because no-one else eats it)I remembered that I needed to update the blog at least one more time before the end of the month. School is officially over for Demya for the next 2 1/2 months except for the mandatory work-day next week, band camps this summer with the "North Fork Combined Band" (Hotchkiss and Paonia High Schools combined marching bands), and possibly a few classes over the summer.
This week Rollie decided to start blowing his own nose. He points at the tissues then starts sniffing and snuffing his nose until he gets the tissue. He wipes his nose with everything he can get his hands on.
We have been enjoying Glee on hulu and so we decided to get the 1st season on dvd last night so we could watch all the episodes we missed due to our lack of tv stations. We have one fuzzy analog channel that happens to be CBS.
Well off we go to do summer-time things now that it feels like summer and not early spring.

Has it really been a month?

Soooo, I've been shirking my duty to inform all interested parties of the happenings of the Gibber-monster. This weekend we took him to watch the 7th Annual Stock-dog Trials here in town. (Think of "Babe," the movie of the sheep pig.) He loved the "Cadys" and I think he was secretly rooting for the sheep. He discovered dandelions and the act of blowing the seeds to the four corners of the yard. Gibbie and Cady are being best friends for the moment and she lets him climb all over her and give her huge hugs and head-butts.
Demya is finishing up the school year by auditioning students for her show choir and for drum major for this next year's marching band. We are performing an experiment with the Paonia marching band by combining the two bands, which are tiny, into a larger small band that has a larger selection of students in each section. We hope it will be a success and will allow us to be more competitive with the other bands in the area.
I have a new guitar student that will be starting in the next few weeks. I bought a Wales rugby ball that Gibbie and I have been tossing and kicking around for almost a week now. He thinks it's a great toy because he's never quite sure which direction it will bounce when he throws it. He constantly tries to share our new ball with Cady. Fortunately she is not interested in it or it would not have survived the week.
I will attempt to keep this blog updated in the coming months of vacation. 'Til then, Bye.

Easter

So this has been a really busy week for us. Benson has been involved in a community production of "Nunsence". The musical has run from Thursday to Sunday and I think that he is very ready for it to be over. I played my horn at church on Friday. We had an Easter musical devotional, I had to be a part of it so I took Rollie and we attended that while Benson was performing at the theatre.
We went to March for Mutts this weekend with Cady. She really isn't getting around very well any more, but she managed 4 laps. She almost gave up at 2 but when we told her that she was being sponsored and that the money was going to rescue dogs like her, she managed a 3rd and 4th lap. There were prizes for this event and Cady, believe it or not, was named the most obedient. She even got a beautiful ribbon that she strutted around with for more than an hour before she let us take it off and put it up. Here is a picture.


Rollie enjoyed his Easter. We went to March for Mutts rather than an Easter Egg Hunt. I think that he enjoyed the dogs more than he would have with the Easter eggs. Here are some cute photos of our weekend.

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