Up with the Sun, Down with the Moon

Lucas has been very intrigued about the sun and moon waking up and going to sleep. The other morning I went to get him out of bed and he said, "Mommy, I woke the sun up this morning!" We had to rush over to the window to verify that the sun was truly awake and all because of Lucas. Every time he sees the sun he talks about how it's going to go to bed soon, behind the mountains. Each night we look out the window and look for the moon. The moon is a little harder to understand and is usually hiding when it's Lucas' bedtime. The other night was a real treat because the moon was as big and bright as possible and right outside Lucas' window. There were light clouds drifting past the moon creating the illusion that the moon was moving backwards. Lucas told me over and over that the moon was moving backwards and was curious to know where it was going. It's so neat to see a little two year olds mind work overtime all the time. What little sponges they truly are.

He was very eager to take his name today because I told him after naptime we could use the coffee grinder. He spotted it earlier this morning and asked 20 questions about how it worked and what sounds it made. We then took a little trip to the post office and had to stop by the coffee shop for a few coffee beans. I drink coffee about once a month and hardly ever use the coffee grinder so he's very excited and probably dreaming about another cool new appliance!

I'm going to try to attach a few photos from Christina and Eric's wedding because we just got some copies and want to share. Looks like the photos aren't working right now so I will try again later.

Hope everyone is weathering the winter!
Love, Janelle, Mike & Lucas

New Business Opportunity

I'm Going back to work!
I love staying home with Lucas so I’ve decided to start my own business here at home! Recently, I was watching Oprah’s “Going Green” Show and discovered a company that has been committed to providing non toxic cleaning products for over 50 years! The program featured a family whose son was rushed to the hospital because of an asthma attack. There was no family history of asthma, so the doctors concluded something toxic in their home had caused the problem. The family decided to eliminate all toxic cleaners (soaps, scrubs, detergents) and saw a drastic improvement in their son’s health. As I watched, I discovered a wonderful Health and Wellness company called Shaklee. The more I learn about the company and their products, the more I feel that I’ve really found a gift I want to share.

Shaklee Corporation is a home networking company who markets a wide range of products for people who want to give themselves and their families every option for a healthy life. The products are for people who want high-quality, safe and clinically proven products that come with a personal service touch. It’s for people who are interested in time-tested natural remedies rather than over-the-counter drugs or prescriptions. It’s also for those who are tired of breathing in harmful toxins while cleaning and want to create a healthy home environment.

The product lines include natural nutrition, weight loss, home cleaning products and a whole line of personal care and beauty. I really fell in love with the non-toxic, biodegradable household cleaners which are very affordable and really do work. I love that they are safe for children and now I can clean my bathroom without opening a window or turning on a fan. Lucas can actually help me now and I don’t have to worry about him breathing in toxic fumes.

The more I try, the more impressed I become with the quality of the products. So impressed, that I want to share with everyone. I encourage you to take a look at my web site to explore all Shaklee has to offer. www.shaklee.net/JanelleAnderson

People get involved with Shaklee for many different reasons. Some are looking for a business opportunity (like myself), some are interested in the products and want to take advantage of discounts or free products (like myself) and others just want to use a few things. Where ever you may fall on the interest list, I would love to help you, your family and your friends. I can share my knowledge, my own experiences and share what I’m so excited about.

I can be contacted by email at janelleanne@gmail.com. Please feel free to pass along my email and web site to family and friends who may be interested in learning more.

I'm sorry to monopolize Lucas' web site but I really wanted to share my new endeavor!

Love, Janelle

Winter Brings Change and Challenges

Yep, we had big plans to head to Southern Utah for some fun in the sun. It's a long 10 hour drive but with a 3-4 day weekend for Mike we decided it would be a great time to get out of town. Well, the weather had other plans. It was predicted to snow on all our scheduled travel days which could have created a real headache for all of us. We voted to change our plans and stick around Colorado Springs for the weekend. Luckily, we ended up with some visitors!

Lucas' Aunt Kate & Uncle Mark came to stay with us for the long weekend. They are actually moving to Colorado next month and decided to come do a little house hunting. Lucas was very excited to have new playmates and people to make blender drinks for. It was also a great time to decorate our new color house and build big lego towers. The weekend weather turned out to be a roller-coaster starting with snow, warming up to 40 degrees with blue, sunny skies for a few hours and only to end in another cold, snowy morning today. We took advantage of the sun going to a few local parks for a little exercise but most of our time was spent home bound. I guess that's part of winter.

We always try to do our best on cold frigid days to get out and play somewhere. Lucas' favorites are going to the local grocery store to run around but the Mall is the coolest for sure. There's a pet store, escalators, alligators (elevators) and miles and miles to run! It's not mom and dad’s idea of super fun but it is neat to see how little things make him so happy...and tired out. Everything's a learning experience for sure. So, we plug along during another Colorado winter and know that warm weather comes to visit on special days. We just need to take advantage of it when it is here!

Exclamation Points!!!!

I would have never guessed that my two year old would fall completely in love with a silly symbol on the keyboard! Yep, Lucas discovered the Exclamation Point about a week ago and has been infatuated with them ever since. We showed him how to type them on the computer by pushing down the shift key. We then tried to explain to him what they are after him asking a million times, "What's that mommy?...What's that daddy?...What's this?" We told him it made words very exciting and sounded like "YEAH!" Now, everytime he sees one he shouts out "YEAH! That's an exclamation point!" It has definitely changed the way we read books now. He could careless about plot or storyline; now it's just a treasure hunt for exclamation points! Last night, I decided to give him a gift. I printed a big exclamation point on a piece of paper for him. He loved it, took it to bed and woke me up at 5:45am this morning to tell me all about how a line and a dot make an exclamation point. We even had to take it hiking with us today in the backpack. It truly is the simple things in life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have some exciting news...I'm starting my own business here at home and am very excited to share with all my friends and family. I have a lot to learn but I found a company I can really stand behind. I will have a whole blog post explaining everything and will provide the link to my new web site. More to come very soon!

Learning About Yourself

We had one beautiful day of sunshine and warm climbing last Friday. We were all very excited to be in the sun and Lucas got to try his new harness outside for the first time. He loved it! The next day the clouds came in along with cooler weather so we spent a lot of time playing with legos and watching football this weekend. Lucas has been so much fun and the things he says during the day just make us smile. He remindes mommy and daddy that he learns by watching everything we do. The way we act and the things we say comes out in a little two year old everyday. The other morning I was making breakfast in the kitchen while Lucas made pretend "blender drinks"(smoothies) in his blender using paper towels. After making and pouring a blender drink for mommy he set it down on the counter across the kitchen instead of handing it to me. He said, "Mommy, if you change your mind your blender drink is over here for you." Yep, that's what I always tell him when he doesn't want to eat his snack or try something new. Who would have known what joy a two year old could bring into your home!

Christmas Christmas and More Christmas!

We were fortunate to be able to spend time with all four grandparents this year. Before flying to Oregon on December 24, we celebrated Christmas with Grandma and Grandpa Jakulewicz, Uncle Brian and Uncle Micah in Longmont, CO. Lucas quickly learned that wrapped presents usually had something very interesting inside. I think the top of the list was receiving his very own blender, although, Mommy’s new mixer came in a close second. He still loves his appliances and now we have new ones to add to the collection.

We had been preparing Lucas for the big airplane ride for about a week or two so I think he pretty much gave up on it ever really happening. He asked everyday if we could go on the big jet plane and the answer was always something like “in a couple days” which must have seemed like a lifetime to a two year old.

On the morning of Christmas Eve, we headed to the airport with his AIRPORT book in hand. The book was coming to life...finally! We rode a bus, a train and a big jet plane heading to Grandma and Grandpa Anderson’s house. He loved getting apple juice from the flight attendant but the best part was getting to meet real pilots and sitting in the cockpit. I think he was excited and shocked all at the same time. It was so much fun to watch him take it all in and he was on his best behavior of course…didn’t want to upset the pilots.

We arrived to Grandma and Grandpa Anderson’s where he was reunited with his cousin Henry, who is also 2 ½ years old. They quickly learned about sharing with each other which wasn’t always so smooth. In the end, they actually got along quite well. Lucas taught Henry all about blenders. Henry taught Lucas all about cars, trains and tackling each other. Lucas played with real toys but never really caught on to the tackling/wrestling maneuvers. He learned that he could out run Henry and seek safety in someone’s arms or suffer the consequences. It was great to see them interact and it sure would be nice to live closer to each other.

Aunt Christina (Mike’s sister) got married to Eric on December 27 in Corvallis. The days leading up to the wedding were full of fun and stress for all. In the end, Christina looked beautiful and Eric relaxed and became part of the family. Lucas and Henry got all dressed up and did an excellent job as the ring bears…a little candy cane persuasion helped too. They also became the star soloists at the wedding reception singing Tinkle, Tinkle Little Star (yep, it’s still “Tinkle” and not “Twinkle”). Christina and Eric are off to a warm, sunny honeymoon in Jamaica. Congrats to both of you!

New Years Eve was spent at home building LEGO towers (Lucas) and a LEGO Imperial Walker (Daddy & Mommy). It was great to see everyone but it sure is nice to be home too.

We hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We wish you a happy, healthy 2008.

Love, Janelle, Mike & Lucas
--Sorry the photos are not complete. I will update with more as I find them.