Learning Joy

Hello! Happy Monday evening.
This was an eventful weekend, even though we didn’t get to do what we were supposed to do.
Sunday we were supposed to go down to Vancouver to see Matt, Sarah & Baby Max. Jef came home Saturday night not feeling really well. He’d had to stay late at work, and then just kept feeling worse. We woke up Sunday morning and Jef felt horrible. His allergies were horrible, and he still felt sick like the night before. Matt called us around 11 a.m. to see if we’d left. We hadn’t, although we were considering it. (we really want to see Baby Max) Jef talked to Matt, and told him our concerns – we didn’t want to get the baby sick. So we decided to go down in a couple weeks.
Poor Jef had a terrible day. We went out in the evening to look at the garden, and Jef had to come in quickly because his allergies started again. 🙁 We did have fun as a family, though!! 🙂
Today was really nice. We’d decided yesterday to make sure we got out of the house today. We are tired of wasting beautiful, sunny days.
The morning was leisurely. The kids played Nintendo, Jef studied and I got ready. Nicholas even got to read Thomas (the Tank Engine) with Daddy. 🙂
We told the boys we were going to the bank, Costco, and Kamali & Tina’s. We went to Fred Meyer, and picked up lady bugs (among other things – oh wait – I have to vent — Fred Meyer sells their tuna 2/$.84. It doesn’t say on the little price tag (which happens to be on the bottom shelf) that price is only good for so many. We get up to the check out and it only lets us get four cans at that price!!!! What is up with that???!!! Arg. Sometimes I hate Fred Meyer.). Since we got lady bugs we decided to stop off at home to drop them off (we didn’t want them to get squished). We turned into the alley & Nicholas says, “No! Costco!!” He remembered our “list”. It was too funny. After Costco, we had to come home again, because we’d bought a box of ice cream things (it has sandwiches, bars & cones). We turned into the alley, and Nicholas says, “No! Aunt Lolly, Aunt Tina’s!!!!” It was so funny!!
After we dropped off the ice cream, we headed over to Kamali’s & Tina’s. Jef worked on his business card and Nicholas napped. Then Tina came home & we went to the park. We stopped at McDonald’s on the way. I got a Cobb salad with crispy chicken (470 calories). The kids got happy meals & Jef got the new Tillamook bacon cheddar cheeseburger & fries. YUM!!
The park was fun. The boys got to play on some big toys & Sadie, Sydney & Susie (Kamali’s & Tina’s dogs) got to run around and play! 🙂 We got out the kites (they were in the trunk) and flew them. 🙂 Well, I flew the Pooh Bear kite, but Jef, Kamali & the boys had trouble with theirs. 🙁 They did get them going finally, though, so that was good.
We met some kids at the park (it was actually a school field). I was vividly reminded of why I don’t want the boys in public school. Holy cow!!!! The things I heard kids saying!!!! Young kids, to boot!!! It was awful. I liked the kids who played with us just fine, but the kids playing basketball were horrible. Sometimes I just want to cover the boys’ ears.
After the park, we went to Kamali’s & Tina’s again. Jef worked on his business card some more. He is making it in Publisher, but Kinko’s can’t print them from Publisher. The file has to be formatted in Adobe Acrobat (which we hate). He finally got it to look right so we left. 🙂
Now we are home and chilling out. The kids crashed.
Have you ever tried Diet Coke with Splenda? You should. I like it. No aspartame to mess up your brain!!! Now I have to try Pepsi One which is supposed to be made with Splenda too.
Anyways, I’ve rambled long enough. Tomorrow is going to be fun. We are going to the Zoo with five other homeschool families. Should be fun. 🙂 I’ll be sure to let you know.

Here’s a picture of the DuCom family! Matt, Sarah & Baby Max (and a bear whose name I don’t know). 

tried to get a stair-step picture, but they wouldn’t cooperate :p
Jonathan, Daniel & Nicholas last summer.

Jonathan and Daniel eating ice cream on back steps. taken last summer. 

Jonathan giving a cheesy grin. Not sure when this was taken.

Jonathan riding “The Big Slide” at the Puyallup Fair last summer. 

Daniel riding in the canoe last summer at the Puyallup Fair. He’s so handsome! 

Daniel in July ’03. Isn’t he a doll? 

This is one of my favorite pictures. Nicholas is so expressive. 🙂 This was taken last summer. 

Ok, so somehow I got it into my head that today was the day we would find out about Jef’s job. (Jef says this is how rumors get started 😉 ) Well, I was wrong. However, they are having a Meeting (in Pooh books when Something is Important, it gets a capital letter) tomorrow.
His company is being, in my opinion, harshly close-mouthed. They have not given their employees any kind of information to go on – nothing. They haven’t opened up any recourse for discussion, questions or concerns. What will happen to Jef’s vacation time? We don’t know. He may lose it all together, or may be able to cash it out. This is something that would be good to know. This is something, I think, his supervisors should be able to tell him.
We talked to the guy in Eugene, and sadly, he is just in charge of e-mail. He couldn’t tell Jef if there were any jobs at PeaceHealth or not. So we are still looking into moving, but so far we have no leads.
I guess we’re just learning how to wait. I’m not very good at it. I get all fidgety and squirmy and ask a lot of questions. Thankfully my Heavenly Father is vastly more patient with me than I am with my children!
Today I did laundry (by myself!!!) and now we are going to go get milk & maybe go to the Zoo! 🙂