Catching Up

Wow. A week has already passed since I last wrote! We live a busy little life.

We've had a good week. I had a Saturday off and we all got to go to a dear friend's cookout! It was fun with the exception of our dear boundary-pushing Bella falling into the decorative pond... Don't gasp, her life was not in danger as she jumped in feet first. After many, many times of the boundaries being laid out for her, not only that night, but on previous occasions. I am so thankful for Dr. Dobson's "The New Strong-Willed Child"! It is so easy (in the present) to overlook the many, many times she pushes boundaries or tries to be the one in control of how and when things are done. I am really learning how manipulative the will can be, and how as her mom I need to stand firm, be consistent and show her that mommy is indeed in charge, however hard that is for her to swallow!

But I digress (We are having a good week!), We (Bella, Doodle and I) headed down to the farm early Monday morning and did a marathon spaghetti sauce day. We came home with 27 quarts and 20 pints of spaghetti sauce. (It's actually a "pizza hut" sauce recipe, but it has a great flavor we use it for everything from calzones and lasagne to spaghetti and pizza.) We also got to see Laura and Treston - oh, has he grown and changed!!! He's a sweetie on the move! His eyes have gotten big and dark... he's lookin' kind of like his mama! We took off from the farm at 5:15 am Tuesday to head to Mayo Clinic and have the rods taken out of Dawson's femur. The surgery went well, and aside from a little nausea the first evening and hesitation to use that leg yesterday, he's back to being a normal, metal-free child.

Usually fall is a return to schedule and routine in the Dahl house, but until this point, it really hasn't been that way. I just about get things in order and laundry caught up then I'm headed out (to Florida, then the farm) and have to start over again. I think we're finally getting to the maintenance stage- slowly.

Noah is loving school and adjusting well. He goes over with Jake in the morning and home again with him right after school. It's neat to see their relationship evolving and. They share the day at school... Something the rest of us aren't "in on" and I can see a new closeness about them.

I'll share a few photos...