Tear Jerker

It has been 10 years, 10 years since Nate and 9 other men lost their lives.  I honestly can't believe it was 10 years ago.  I remember the night so well - me and a couple other friends stayed in that night because we felt "weird" - weird as in something didn't seem right and we just wanted to stay in.  This was pretty rare for us partying  "lounge rats" as the upper classmen referred to us Pi Phi sophmores.  We were in our "rat lounge" watching tv when we heard of a reported crash. We immediately start calling Nate's phone - straight to voicemail.  We probably dialed his number a bazillion times that night, only to hear his voice on voicemail.  Nate was a great guy. I will always remember him with the best of memories.  Right before the crash, he had told us girls about this new singer named John Mayer, let's just say, Nate knew this guy was going to make it :) Below is an article about Nate, warning grab your kleenex's now... this article, along with the Outside the Lines video, is of course so sad but at the same time really illustrates what an awesome person Nate was!!

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=110126%2FOklahomaState

Keep it coming

Let the good news keep on rolling into our world... seriously about time, past couple weeks have been stale in the good news department. I take that back, there is alot worse in the world, I will say keep the exciting news coming on in.

1. Ben is going to have a cousin!!! Peter and Julie are expecting their bundle of joy in August. YAY!
2. Bank responded, verbally agreeing to accept our offer on the house we so desperately want... however, still no signed contract.  Pretty please, please get us that contract ASAP.

Have to address some not so exciting news and first time "knocking on wood" hasn't worked.  I totally jinxed myself by telling someone first of January "oh Ben has never had an ear infection" BUT I knocked on wood, all faith has been lost in that method. hah Ben was absolutely pitiful for a week straight.  Have no fear, he is back in full force with the help of steroids (no, there was no "baby roiding out" that I feared) and the yummy pink medicine Ben loves so much.  I knew something was really wrong when he wouldn't eat "Donalds" chicken and fries :) 



His latest obsession, the leapfrog laptop (yes he has on a reindeer shirt, can't wear it in public but can at home :)





Big guy Ben... baby no more

 


enjoying a good laugh over some potty time reading



Car wash

Picture says it all... complete nightmare for Ben. (pardon the iphone picture quality).  The excitement while waiting in line, quickly fizzled out when the giant monsters came into sight for Ben. "NO-NO-NO-NO". Poor guy has been sick and we took him for a car ride that ended in hell.
John and I did get alot done yesterday while he was snoozing - cleaned out his bins of childhood items.  It was time to say good bye to the zillion OSU baseball t-shirts, among other things.  We have not found another house to move too. I'm not stressing out. Yeah right, I'm freaking out. The thought of coordinating the moving, finding a place to store it all, switching up Ben's schedule while we live at Noni and Papa's... YIKES. On top of trying to wait very patiently for Chase Bank to respond to our offer on a house that is in foreclosure. It could take up to 3 months. Please Chase bank negoitator, answer us so we know something!!

Potty pooper

The potty training thing has been on Ben's terms, we aren't going to push it, but if he tells us he needs to pee, well then of course we don't object.  Today it wasn't pee, it was #2!!! We are so proud of our little potty pooper.  I was cracking up, here he sat on the toilet, grunting and pushing it out with this look of determination.  Of course we cheered and high fived and he was very proud of himself as he said "bye bye poo-poo" once we flushed. What else is up with Bean-o.....

• Picky as ever with food.  His favs are olives (go figure), chicken, goldfish, scrambled eggs, any kind of fruit, peanut butter, bacon, pancakes/waffles, fries.... no veggies, it is my mission to find a veggie he'll eat, I've been pretty unsuccessful.
• Really into watching football games, basketball games and golf
• Pretty much obsessed with building blocks. We have to build a tower every night after dinner, crash it down and build some more.
• Extremely loveable! Kisses and hugs for everyone. 
• Talking machine!!
• Ball of energy - loves to spin, run, jump and turn upside down - he wears us out
• My fav word of his right now is "ice-e-coon".. Ice cream cone. He sees the word Braums and knows they have the good stuff
• Terrible 2's are creeping back in and I would prefer it to not :) I mean come on, the throwing of toys or screaming at us when he is told no, we can do without those!
• Even with his attitude, he is hilarious.  We love to hear him ramble off and try to decipher his sentences. He is trying so hard to get out these long sentences, yet the last word is the only one we can figure out. He is so smart and has so much going on in that little head of his.
• He is such a helper.... he'll throw away stuff for me, clean up his messes, get me things when I'm too lazy to get myself that are across the room. No he isn't my slave, but it keeps him busy when I get him doing "chores" :) 
• Monkey see, Monkey do - Ben mimicks big time.  For instance, my parents came with us to see a house. My dad is checking out the A/C unit, gives it a slight nudge with his shoe, so Ben walks up and kicks. Another total monkey do moment... we were sitting in the living room, John passes some gas, Ben looks over at us holding his breathe and lets out these loud farts!! Like he can fart on command, I love it. Keeps us laughing!

What Ben likes to do when I tell him "GO to your room"... take that Momma, I'll turn upside down!

moving boxes  = new hiding spot



Potty time!!



Christmas Day

I suppose better late than never... Christmas day pictures :) After "Santa Daddy" stayed up until 1am putting together Ben's trampoline, I couldn't go to sleep, I felt like a kid again so excited for Ben to see his toys. I woke up at 7am to make sure everything was ready once he woke up, which I figured would be around 730. But no, he slept in until 9am! He stumbled out of his room to find his new toys with a "ooooooo cool, awesome!" It was a classic Ben line and I wouldn't expect no other :)  We had a great morning eating pancakes, eggs and sausage.... too much sausage for someone (as evident from my previous post)! Once we got out of our pj's around 1pm, we went to Grandma and Pa's house.  And oh boy, Ben banked in the toys.  He isn't spoiled or anything :) The night ended with a delicious meal cooked by the entire Forrest family.  11 more months until we are at it again....

Santa stopped by!

What more could a boy ask for... trucks, racoon, robe and John Deere hat - I promise we aren't rednecks! 

Dad's happy with his Thunder girls



Too hot for clothes, except Buzz slippers



Such a little man

Hard core toddler fighter... hah! Looks like he is in the ring

Baby model

It's Dusty!

Ben and Grandma cooking some "boogers"

"What can I get you from my kitchen?"



Yyyuumm apple sauce