Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Life

We really have had a lot going on here at the Hughes home, I am just a little slow in letting you all know about it. Steve left on March 9th for another business trip, and won't be home until the end of the month. He was also gone for the whole month of January, but for some reason this time has been a lot harder. I am busier, and the boys are crazier. For Steve on the other hand, this trip has been great for his career and training, so at least I can feel good about the fact that he is getting something accomplished.

At the end of February, Steven raced a car in his first pinewood derby race! Steve and Steven had a great time building the car, and really put a lot of effort into it. Steve was able to play with his wood working tools again, and did an awesome job. Steven raced against 3 other kids his age, and he won! Yahoo!

{Look at him watching anxiously}

{His is the one with the yellow streak}


{There's the award}


Steve and the boys also decided that we needed another pet in the family, so Steve told the boys about how fun it would be to have a rat! Disgusting I know. Who ever came up with the idea that putting a rodent in a cage to live out his life in a box, and for people to hold it and play with it? I think that person is a little crazy. But, since it is a pet that I can ignore, I told Steve do whatever you want, but I don't want to have anything to do with it. That worked great until Steve headed out of town and said the rat should be held often, and the cage should be cleaned out once a week. Wonderful. The boys do enjoy her though, and have lovingly named her Betty. Brandon even talks to her often, and can kind of say her name. Brandon gets scared to death if Steve offers to let him hold her though. He is smarter than that.
(Laura, what do you think about showing your kids this post?)







Also, my little fork stabbing Nathan had a perfect week last week at school. He didn't have to pull his color once all week! That has never happened before. Because of this, he was student of the week, and got to bring home Curious George to spend the weekend with the family. I let Nathan choose where he wanted to eat for dinner, and he chose Pizza Hut. Then we came home and Nathan let the monkey climb some trees in the yard. He also went to church with us and went to bed with Nathan, but I forgot to get the camera out for those events. I am proud of Nathan for his good behavior. (Even if he has pulled a color every day this week)




And lastly, crazy me who has four misbehaving children, a house that I can't ever get clean, a goal to decorate by the time Mom and Dad come, a garage full of boxes that still need to find a home, and a husband that is a traveling man this year, have decided to start a garden. We have a great yard for it, and I have always wanted to do it. So, Steve made this garden bed for me and we bought the good soil, and I have tilled the ground and am ready to plant. I am vowing that I will stick with this until the picking season, even when the real Georgia heat comes. Hopefully we will have some good veggies to eat all summer long.

7 comments:

Sue said...

Congratulations, Steven (and Steve), on winning the Pinewood Derby! Good looking car!
We had a white rat when we were in about 4th grade and loved it. It got lost in the play house and that was the end of it.
CONGRATULATIONS, NATHAN!!! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!
I love the garden. I can help while we are in Savannah, maybe we can get the garage done. I have all morning, each morning, to help. And Dad can play with the boys so we can work in the afternoon, too!

Olson Clan said...

Congrats on the Pine Wood derby. It is a loved and yet dreaded yearly tradition here. Tons of fun, but I am so glad when it is over. Unfortunately I have had to miss all of Mike's races.
Good luck on the garden, I keep wanting one but that's about as far as it gets.
We are proud of you also Nathan!!!!!

laura said...

I literally have throw up in my mouth and my heart is beating fast. A rat!!-- disgusting!!!!! And to see it climbing on my nephews-ooohhhhhhhh.
Good work on the car Steven. I LOVE derby time. Our ward does it as an activity and it is huge.
And congrats to Nathan. It is funny to me the rewards our kids are SOO excited about. I love that he took such great care of Curious George.

Roger said...

1. I have awful memories of Pinewood Derbys. I wasn't a very good car manufacturer and the boys always lost, usually with tears. So, an extra congrats to Steve and Steven.
2. A cat and a rat as pets - good thinking!
3. Good job, Nathan. One good week, one bad week and 50 more to go.
4. You bought dirt? Oh well, it looks good. What are you going to grow? We grew artichokes. They were good eating and the plant is a perennial in Bako.

Sarah A said...

I am jealous of your garden. It is the perfect size and ayou really do have the perfect yard for it.

When I was 7 i got a pet rat for my birthday and LOVED her. Her name was D.D. She was lonely so we got her a friend. Then they had 8 baby rats. We loved every one of them until we took them to the pet store where they fed them to the snakes. A great lesson on the circle of life.

Kristin said...

Congrats Steven and Steve on a job well done! And way to go Nafers. I'm so proud of you! A whole week of success! Now that's fantastic! And good luck with the garden, Teresa. Make sure to take lots of pictures as the yummy veggies grow!

Alicia said...

Wow. You do have a lot going on there. I really don't know how you are doing it all. Good job Teresa, is what I say!

A rat? Gross. Some people (including me) question our choice to have a dog though, so I guess I'll just tell you to have fun with her. Until the cat gets her, of course.

Nice work on the Pine Wood Derby. That does look a little daunting to have to make a car out of wood that will beat all of the other cars so that your boy is happy. Congrats.

Crazy color changing Nathan! Good job on being so good for a week.