The Glorious Sun!

We had a beautiful day today! The sun was shining, it was in the 70's. It was just what I have been craving. So, we took Gabe down to the lake for a bit. He did not like being in his little raft thing at ALL. When we took him out though he just dove in and went under. I was right behind him and he only did it once, but I was freaked out so we didn't stay too long. We did play out in the sun. All the life jackets we have checked out are too big, so we just play with him on the shore mostly. He's so funny because he'll see the sand under the water and reach down to pick up a rock or something and then his face will go under water and he'll come up all confused like, "What just happened?" Here's some picks we took of the day. Have a great summer!

Look what I found!

You know, Cheri told me that she was pretty sure that we got some pictures of all three of us when she was down visiting last fall. I knew that I had a print of this so I finally decided to check and lo and behold! The ONLY picture of Eric, Gabe, and I. If you haven't read our first blog you may want to go back and this will make more sense. Love ya all!

Discipline

A friend of mine just had a new baby. She invited me and another friend over for lunch because we had thrown her a babyshower and she wanted to say thanks. Her mother was staying with her for a few weeks to help out and she wanted to make us lunch. Since it was during the day, I had to take Gabe. Susan, my friend, has three other kids so I knew that he would be entertained. Well, as soon as I put him down he takes off and starts "exploring". My adorable son then started getting into everything and doing things that he knows he isn't allowed to do. He kept pushing the buttons on their t.v. and playing with their blinds. Now, at home he has learned to stop when we say don't do that because he gets a timeout if he doesn't. But I didn't know what to do since we were at someone elses house. I just kept having to distract him and attempt to give him other things to do. And you could totally tell that he was testing me because he would do it and keep looking at me with a mischevious grin. What do you do in that situation? I don't want him to learn that he can misbehave out in public because Mama can't discipline him when we are not at home. I didn't want to ruin everyone's visiting either with a screaming child if I did discipline him there. Oh, what to do, what to do?

Scary Day

With our summer fast approaching I let our Food Service Director (Susan) take her staff to the ocean to camp for the night. While they were there Susans daughter and two of my food service staff took a dip in the ocean. However the rip tide was strong and before they new it they were being pulled out to see. After calling 911 Susan called us and was talking to our director. She could not see any of the three because they were beyond the waves and it had been 15 minutes. The coast guard went out and pulled all three out alive. Susans daughter was treated for water in the lungs but they will all be okay. God is good.

O.k. I know that those that live in places that are cranking up the air conditioning right now are not going to feel sorry for me. However, I am desperate for some sun and heat. It is still in the 60's here during the day. If it gets to be 70 it's like the best day ever. The sun comes out and I'm a new person. I'm smiling, singing in the car, and have a ton of energy to go out and get things done. Now, I am a person who HATES humidity and being all sweaty but right now that feels like heaven. It's amazing how much you thirst for the sun when you don't get it that much. That's a total analogy to God though isn't it? When I spend time with the Son, it changes my whole attitude. Also, it reminds me how much that people who can't worship Him freely must be desperate for Him. It's supposed to get warmer next week, but I've heard that the last few weeks. I'm not complaining, I'm just sharing my "observation" with you all. O.k. I know that is still whining no matter how I word it. Well, have fun with your summer barbecues and kids playing out in the sprinkler and otter pops and everything else that is great about summer!
-Britt

Jeffrey

I'm a little bummed today because one of my favorite students at Sylvan had his last day yesterday. Jeffrey has been coming for about 6 months, and he cracks me up all the time. When he first started he would come in and tell us that he had a different name that day. Some of the popular ones are George Washington, Noah, Zia, and lately, Old Man Jenkins. When I tell him to write his name on his paper he would insist on these names so I finally told him he could put whatever name he wanted as long as he also put Jeffrey. The other day he wrote Old Man Jakins and underneath in quotations "Jeffrei" He heard somewhere that boys spell their names with an i and girls put a y at the end of their names so he insists on putting an i at the end of his name. He comes in everyday with a wild story that he has made up about the other teachers. He also tells us everyday that he is 17 years old and in high school (7 yrs. old, 2nd grade). One day he came in and told the teacher at the next table that he was in college. I said, "Yesterday you said you were in high school." He looks at me and sticks his hands out in complete exasperation and says, "I graduated yesterday!" Like, duh, how could you ask such a silly question. For a while he had a hard time with rhyming words and he would say that rhyming words make him crazy and make his head hurt. On Monday, he did the funniest thing ever. I told him he needed to draw pictures on his sheet. He said that his brain told him to not draw pictures because it makes it like this, and he squeezed his fist and scrunched up his face. He said it makes his brain small. I told him that drawing pictures is good for his brain and will make it stronger. He said no, my brain will turn to water. I said, "I promise you your brain will not turn to water." At that the table of older kids next to us started cracking up and looking at us wondering what in the world we were talking about. So, anyway, after we debated and he finished the other parts of his sheet, all he had left was the pictures. I told him it did not have to be good and I started to draw some stick figures showing him that it didn't have to be nice. He said,"Wait, let me ask my brain if it's alright." At this point he starts humming to himself like he's talking to his brain. "Mmm Mm M Mmm Mm Mm." Then he announces,"O.k. my brain said it was o.k." I cracked up! I am so going to miss him. I love my job and I love that I get to spend time getting to know kids and helping them so much without all the work of full time teaching. I get to do what I love and stay home with Gabe during the day. I do miss dinners with my family but I try to make lunch our time instead. We are so blessed. God has given me everything I ever wanted and it is even better than I thought.

Father's Day

We had a great Father's Day here. I did a lot of reflection over how blessed we are to even be able to celebrate this holiday. I remember days when I thought we would never be able to celebrate Fathers or Mothers Day. God has truly blessed us and I am so thankful. I'm also thankful for what a wonderful dad Eric is. He works so hard to take care of us and doesn't even think twice about taking Gabe for the day so I can get away and have some girl time. In fact he is the one that makes sure that I get some time away or buy some things for myself. He is constantly making me smile and laugh. His joy sets the tone for our home and we thank God every day for how happy we are.
I also thought a lot about Mark, Eric's dad, and what a wonderful example he is. I attribute how supportive and patient Eric is to having such a great man to look up to his whole life. Mark is a man of few words but still finds ways to show how much he loves you. He will drop everything to come babysit for us when we are in a pinch. He enjoys walking Gabe around when he is fussy and showing him things. He has a great way of passing his peacefulness on to Gabe and everyone else around him. Even with all the crazy moving we have done in the last 2 years (4 moves!) he is the first one to help and the last to leave. It's no wonder that his two grandchildren fight over him. Brooke, Gabe's cousin, is so possessive of Grandpa! She has a sixth sense of when he is holding Gabe and not her. She will run from another room to be picked up too.
I'm also thankful for W.T. Gillum who allowed me to come and live with his family when I was fourteen. They took me in and showed me what it meant to be parents and to live in a Christ-like home. I don't want to think of where I would be if it weren't for them. Ya, he was strict but I longed for rules and boundaries and someone who cared enough to set them. We have a special relationship that even my husband has noticed. He says that when I talk to T. I get feisty and awnry. I love to give T a hard time and joke around with him. He has been in poor health the last few years, and I fear the day when I have to say goodbye.
Lastly, my dad. I've always been a daddy's girl. My dad had his issues and was an alcoholic for 30 years. I so admire him though for turning his life around. My dad has taught me to look at all sides of an issue and to not judge people. He is an arguer and debater by nature which I now see prepared me for marrying Eric. Because he was always so up front with me, I knew I could go to him for anything. I've been blessed to actually get to know him all over again the last nine years since he has stopped drinking. I love our long phone conversations where we debate politics and religion. Although we disagree we never yell or get mad.
I hope all of your Father's Days was just as great.

New Business Idea

I (Eric) have been putting on a little bit of weight. So I was thinking of a business that could take advantage of my new figure. So the other day I was driving and I came up with this great idea. I want to open a restaurant similar to hooters but with male waiters. We will call it MAN BOOBS. We will have flat screen tv's that are always on TLC. The guest can drink sexy shots from our hairy man cleavage. I figure we can make a killing off of bachleorette parties and girls night out. I am counting the cash already.

Sleeping In

I was "blessed" with a baby that wakes with the sun. That's alright during the winter but now when the sun rises at 5 in the morning, I go a little crazy. I am NOT a morning person. Well, Eric and I have a system of whose turn it is to get up with him but because Eric goes to work early I still end up getting up at 6:30 so that he can get ready for work. Well, this morning was his morning and he had nowhere that he had to be so I slept until, are you ready? 8:00!!! I don' remember the last time I slept in that late. I so needed it. I woke up happy, which Eric needed as well. It's got to get old waking up to a bear each morning. It is my belief that a big part of PostPartem depression is sleep deprivation. But again, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

"mama" and books

I'll warn you now that there will probably be a lot on this blog about Gabe. I only work part time and the rest of the day is spent with him so that is really all I have to talk about. So, I'm sharing today his cute little nuances. All the mothers out there will probably agree that they love to hear their babies say "mama". Well, for some reason Gabe refuses to call me that. No Ma, mama, or even mommy. No, I'm Da. When Eric walks in the door there is a big smile and Gabe points at him and says loud and clear "DA!!" I do get a big smile when I get home but no Mama! We even ask him "Where's dad?" and he points to Eric. Where's Gabe? points to himself. Where's Mama? Big smile and points to Eric and says, "Da" He's capable of saying Mama. He always says it when he's whiny and crying. At first I thought that maybe he wasn't that smart but he gets this big mischevious smile when he looks at me and says, "Hi da" I think he is doing it because he knows it drives me crazy! He seems way too proud of himself. I thought I had a few years before the rebellion started.
Being a teacher, I have really wanted Gabe to be interested in books. Since he was an infant we've been reading to him. Usually it is more fun for him to throw them than sit still and look at one. Well, that has definitely changed. He has entered the stage where he wants to be read to over and over and over again. And usually it is the same book again and again. I am so sick of "Inside, Outside, Upside Down." I got home last night and Eric shows me where he had a big pile of books that he hid so that Gabe would stop sticking them in his face to be read. What is really sad is that I then showed Eric behind the couch pillow where earlier in the day I had hid some as well. Be careful what you wish for!

Blog???

So, I just found out this morning that we have a blog. Eric says he told me but let me tell you how the conversation went a few days ago.
Eric: I went to start a blog for us but I found that we have no pictures of all of us as a family.
Britt: I know we have no pics. of all of us because one of us is always holding the camera. Yada yada yada about not having pics. of all three of us.

That's it!! I took that to mean that he didn't start one because he couldn't find the pics. This morning however, I was looking at Jen's blog and he says that I should check out ours. Really! I say. So, he tells me how, and lo and behold there is a picture of me without a lick of makeup! yeahhh! There's nothing to do but laugh. Just shows you the difference between male and female communication. I wouldn't have it any other way though. It was very sweet of him to start one because he knows that I enjoy reading Jen's and keeping in touch with her through it. Hey, it gave me something to write about! I'm sure you'll see a comment in response to this one coming soon from Eric. Love ya all, Britt

We have arrived

This blog party can get started because the Sivertson's have arrived. Who are the Sivertson's you ask? Great question! Our family is comprised of myself (Eric), my wife Brittany and our son Gabriel. Gabe is 14 months and is getting big fast. I work at a Christian Camp in Ravensdale WA and we live on site. Brittany works at Sylvan learning center. We look forward to keeping people informed on what we are doing.