I Can't Believe Fall Is Almost Here...The Count Down to Christmas Begins!

Here we are coming to the end of August, can you believe it? Fall is almost upon us...and with that Christmas is around the corner with a trip to Utah, the count down begins. I can't believe we have now lived in Oklahoma for four months (well technically the kids and I have been back in Utah sporadically totaling one whole month of those four, so I suppose we have been physically in Oklahoma for three months). Crazy.

It is interesting this town is about fifty percent Hispanic. We have felt like we have been emersed in Spanish culture. It has been a good experience, there are some excellent little Mexican food joints here and there. One thing that we see all the time are the suped up vehicles that a lot of Hispanics drive. Tommy will see these cars and...HE...LOVES...THEM! Racing stripes, bright colors, low riders, even flames...awesome! If he sees these cars as we are traveling about he freaks out, "Mom, look at that car, that's so cool!"

"It sure is," I respond while I'm thinking, "Oh Heaven help us."

Currently he has fallen in love, thankfully, with a more mild car. This car happens to be at our apartment complex so he gets to google at it everyday. As we drove by it last week he said, "Mom, that car is even cooler than Grandpa's car." I beg to differ...however, Dad, here is your competition, an old, dented, blue Camaro, I know you want one, forget that sweet Mustang.

Maddie is growing up more and more. Lately she likes to jabber and jabber and jabber. (I think she learned this from her cousin Gavin). We have complete conversations together, I'm just not really sure what they are about. I took this video the other day, I actually had to sneak it, because whenever she sees the camera she just wants to see pictures rather than actually perform for me. So the quality and angle, not great, but this is what it is like most mornings. She has lots to say.

Brayten is doing well. Their project is beginning to slow down for a few months so we are hoping that we will see him a little more often. At the same time we are a bit anxious and unsure if his company will move us anytime soon. They may choose to move us at anytime. It could be right away. It could be around December. Or it could be at the end of this project which would probably be next August. So we'll see what happens.

In the meantime though he is keeping himself busy and even doing a bit of missionary work. He might be keeping himself too busy though...he is losing his hair. The other day he decided enough was enough and took out the razor.

As for me, I am doing well. Keeping busy. I have found as long as I am so busy that I don't have too many spare moments it is better for me. The other day I was driving home from dropping Tommy off at school and a bit of home sickness snuck up on me. Ugh. I'm a baby. I think it has been a month, one single month, since the last time I was with my family and friends in Utah and already I have these pangs in my heart. So I have learned stay busy, busy, busy, and think about home relatively sparingly. Oh and start the count down to Christmas, I already can't wait. I love you guys and miss you...try not to make me cry this week. Have a good one!

Back To School

Well the biggest change this week was Tommy adventuring back to school. I had debated whether to put him in school at all or just home school him, he is still in Pre-K. Ultimately I decided to send him considering the abundance of fun things to do in Guymon. School is helping combat his boredom. One problem, instead of two days a week for two hours like preschool is in Utah it is Every. Single. Day. For. Three. Hours. A. Day.

Before I had kids I always smirked a bit to myself when I saw those "crazy" women blubbering because their babies have headed back to school. I just want to know why it is that every single thing I have ever made fun of in my life I end up doing, why? I sat in my car, with my big, bug eye sun glasses on, and cried like a baby. Maddie was in the back seat, crying too, she didn't like dropping him off either.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I leave a chunk of my heart at his school each day when I drop him off.

He is attending Northridge Christian School. It is one of the two preschool options in Guymon. He started school last Wednesday and so far he can quote Genesis 1: 1, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth." FYI, I have it memorized too now, I get to hear it everyday, multiple times a day. I think Tommy wants to hammer it in my head just to make sure I don't forget it. Funny though Genesis 1:1 was quoted in church today, weird I know, when was the last time you heard that scripture in church, not very often. Anyway, he got all excited, "Mom, mom, I know that scripture!"

Tommy is a good kid and I can't believe how much he grows up every single day! On our way to school last Friday we passed a snow cone shack, which really are like our little oasis in the midst of the desert, and Tommy completely dismayed said, "Mom, we forgot to get snow cones last night!"

"Yeah we did buddy, maybe another day."

"I know Mom! You should make a list and then we won't forget," he matter of factly stated.

Hmmm, good idea, I think this kid knows me quite well.

This week the temperature actually dipped into the nineties, so of course we hit the park. I just keep hoping that pretty soon being outside won't feel like stepping into a sauna fully clothed. Just thinking about going outside I start to sweat.

We also spent some quality time on the trampoline. Tommy has now figured out how to do a front flip, I suppose he just wants to be like his cousins, so thanks for that one Logan and Cole. I have a slight cringe every time he tries a new trick, isn't he too young for this? Anyway, I just hope next week I don't have pictures of him getting his first cast.

I want to give a shout out to all of my nephews and neices heading back to school this week (unfortunately, I mean fortunately, for you Kaden and Karson you have already been enjoying the delights of a wholesome education for quite some time) but to the rest of you, good luck, work hard, get good grades, read, read, and read some more. I love you guys!

The Blog Sabbatical Has Finally Ceased

Well I suppose if you are one of the unfortunate few who actually reads my blog, whether you have been coerced to or whether it is your obligation because, let's face it, you are my mother, you've probably been wondering, where have the McGee's gone? Well I'm happy to announce that the blogging sabbatical is now ending and I will continue to happily pour out my soul on the World Wide Web every single Sunday...unless of course I don't feel like it...or perchance I am taking a nice, albeit rare, Sunday nap.

So where have the McGee's been over the past month? Oregon, Utah...and now back to paradise...oh, I mean Guymon, Oklahoma.

On July 8th, I set out with two kids in tow. (Unfortunately Brayten had to work...or maybe he was just challenging my mothering skills, I'm still not sure). We drove four and a half hours to Oklahoma City and spent the night at a Holiday Inn Express (which by the way is a hotel, yep that's an "H" not an "M"). Can I just tell you, when you pull up to a hotel, with a trunk full of luggage and two small kids you really need to calculate your mode of action. How can I get me, my children, and all of these bags from point "A" to point "B"? Well, first you tote the kids inside to check in. Once the room key is in hand you then tote the children back to the car along with a luggage cart. You fill up the luggage cart, while ensuring the children do not run out into traffic, then put the children on top of the luggage...and off you go. I must tell you though that once you actually get to your room you may need to take a well needed break, lay back on the bed for at least a few seconds, and wipe the sweat from your brow.

The next day we boarded a plane. We flew two hours to Minnesota, had a two hour lay over, and then boarded another plane flying for four and a half hours to Portland, Oregon. I must confess, just the thought of this travel day had given me anxiety for a week before we actually left. As such, I was like Super Mom, traveling through the airports equipped with blankets, binkies, bottles, bandaids, toys, books, Ipod's bursting with kids movies from the Wiggles all the way to Snow Buddies, and snacks lots and lots of snacks. But we survived, Heaven be thanked the "devil" didn't join us on this trip, Maddie actually slept the whole flight from Minnesota to Oregon, can I hear a HALLELUJAH please!

We joined the rest of the Wilding crew in gorgeous, stunning, and absolutely freezing Oregon. You'd think I had been living in 110 degree weather for the past two months I was so cold! Alas, a week in Oregon was a blast! I'll give you a high point and a low point of the trip to save you from what would be an infinitely long travel log (because let's face it, can I ever just write a few words about anything, nope, blah blah blah blah blah...that's what I'm all about, I think I can write almost as much as my cute little sister can talk (I love you Shannon!)).

High Point: Beer Batter Halibut...oh my land, Tom, how have you not shared that amazing recipe you have until now. It was like Heaven on my tongue and I am generally not a fried foods person but wow. AWESOME!

Low Point: It was always great to see which one was going to be more terrible in a restaurant, Maddie or Preston. I think they took turns at extreme naughtiness. "Yep that's my kid," I sighed to myself over and over again. But on occassion I would be laughing because, "Oh good, it's not my kid this time I guess it's Preston's turn. Whew!" In hindsight however, this low point is now becoming quite a fond memory. In fact, one day in Oregon my kids and I, Russ, Meg, and Preston, and Grandma and Grandpa Wilding were having lunch together. My mom was talking about how she wanted to take the whole family to a nice dinner to celebrate my Dad's birthday. As she is going on and on about this great idea for a great dinner I am thinking, "Please spare me." Ultimately toward the end of that magnificent lunch my mom said, "Um, I think maybe we should just cook dinner tonight and not go out." But what she was really thinking was, "We better keep these gremlins home...for two or three more years." It was a good day.

Yep, that's generally what Russell looks like all the time. Cute, huh?

I'm pretty much a hottie...this is post breast augmentation.

The great thing that you don't see in this picture is Maddie tantruming at my feet. Good job Meg, keeping the tiny terror out of the picture. I promise Maddie is cute, and she is in fact good...sometimes.

Well the good times in Oregon ended and the McGee crew headed back to Utah for two weeks.

High Point: Two words... Harry Potter.

Low Point: Attempting to conceal my blubbering during Harry Potter.

Utah was awesome! It was great to see family, friends, mountains, and even trees. It was great to have a Pace's grape rainbow, to indulge myself with Mandarin Chinese Food, and to shop at stores not titled Walmart. However, it was definitely not cool to say good bye, yet again.

But here we are...doing OK in OK. I just thought I better share these next two photos with you. Brayten has a new calling as Elder's Quorum President and we had to drive to Hugoton, Kansas to have him set apart. Luckily our Branch President drew us a map so we wouldn't get lost.

Yeah, that's how we do it round here.

But it is nice to be back and get settled into our regular routines. Church was particularly welcoming today, it was like the McGee show. I was the chorister in Sacrament Meeting. Tommy spoke, I sang a solo, I spoke, and then Brayten spoke. Brayten then taught Priesthood and I taught Primary. Hmmm, I think I'm ready for another vacation. We did however have an extra special visitor at Church today. Nope not a General Authority, nope not the Stake President, we had a snake inside the Church. Awesome... Note: don't leave your doors open for prolonged periods in Guymon, Oklahoma.

Oklahoma has it's perks though. The other day we went to the Walmart (yes, I do go to the Walmart at least three times a week, I'll bet your jealous). Brayten found these cute license plates for kids bikes with their names on them. We had purchased some Utah "plates" already for our kids and he thought we should get them another set but from Oklahoma. They had Maddie...hmmm, but not Thomas. Instead they had names like Bubba and Mary Lou. See, perks, I told you!

One last story and I will let you get back to your life, for at least another week. The other day the temperature here took a drastic dip. We had a storm front moving in and it was a frigid 68 degrees outside. Tommy went out onto our porch, turned immediately around and came back inside. "Mom," he said, "I need my coat."

Well, all is well here in Oklahoma! I just want to say, Greg thanks for the notes, you're awesome! Logan, thanks for helping pick out my birthday present, you're a stud and you did well! Mom and Dad I love you guys and miss you. Everyone else, family and friends, hugs and kisses from the McGee's! Until next time, we love you!