Easton Turns 3!

Start your Tractor and Put it in Gear,

Easton’s Third Birthday is Already Here!

I have a three year old.  Holy buckets!  A tractor lovin’, potential preschool goin’, three year old.  How did that happen?  I’ve checked the calendar and done the math several times and it comes out the same over and over again.  He really is three.  But don’t get me wrong, he does three really well. 

So here he is…the new three year old at his finest. (Thank you, Pinterest for sucking productivity out of my day and filling it with projects I mostly only dream about doing…with the exception of this one!)

I’m vowing to do this every year from here on out.  How fun!  I think I’ll laminate them and throw them in his “to keep forever” box and maybe at his graduation I’ll figure out a clever way to display them.

Anyway, we did things up right by granting his two birthday wishes.

Wish #1 – What kind of party do you want?  A TRACTOR party!  (Like we haven’t done that before.  Twice before, actually.)

Wish #2 – What do you want for your birthday?  A purple truck like Grandpa’s.  (Purple, easily  confused with the more manly color maroon.)

Done and done.

Happy Birthday, Buddy!  We love you!

Banter

If you're still checking this blog - thank you!! Four months since our last post is a little ridiculous, but know that we'll have great material as soon as we get a moment to breathe. Preschool, work, daycare, church, savoring time outside before snow and holiday preparations have put the blog on the back burner. Please know that it has not been four months since Dana and I last chatted. Example:

Here's a look inside a chat conversation between two friends who miss each other dearly and feel a little less separated through instant messaging and Skype. Today, we covered a lot of ground in a short period. (Every new line is a new post to chat.)

K: Hey you!

Dana Van Zanten-Neu: Hey!
Slaving away on Mom's Christmas letter. ;)

Kim Anderson:  :)

your mom's? what are you doing that for?

here's the whole Ali story, as printed in the Cinci paper. I haven't read it all yet. I've learned not to read that at work because I always bawl.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20111203/NEWS01/112040322/Thousands-share-joy-Allison-Nunery-s-life

It seriously made me appreciate how precious life is. But also...

Dana Van Zanten-Neu: She's over here. She typed it up but wanted me to add a sheet with photos. ;)

Kim Anderson: the way melanie writes about her spirit leaving and how jesus was waiting. it almost makes me a little jealous. how exciting must heaven be?!!

ah, well

Kim Anderson:  you're golden. she also wanted to snuggle babies right?

pictures with baby at my house in 40 minutes!

be jealous ;)

also, my THIGH hurts. that 5K business is for the birds. lol

tell your mom i better get a christmas letter. we aren't sending any out until this weekend gets cancelled and i get 2 days all to myself.

so don't hold your breath. i have a title and an idea. maybe next month...

"our life is a chris ledoux album"

gage has been obsessed with listening to chris ledoux lately and started memorizing some songs. its funny.

some fo the song and lines are perfect: "long before you take this cowboy's hat"

so my idea is to do up a letter and include CDs with the songs i'm talking about. everyone loves chris ledoux right?

ok, i'm done.

bye

:)

Dana Van Zanten-Neu: :D

You make me a better person.

Really, for real.

Kim Anderson:  um, ditto.

i think i have ADHD. i just read above message. yikes. how do you even keep up with that banter?

Dana Van Zanten-Neu:    I have 24 years of practice.

Kim Anderson:    Bahahahaha. you.are.the.best.

PS - this Ali story...read only if you feel like it. i recommend it, but its heart wrenching. the link above will take you to an article in the Cincinnati paper. this link will take you to Ali's sister Melanie's site: http://www.loft3pd.com/ and this link will take you to Rock Pink for Ali: http://www.rockpink4ali.com/