Halloween

Last Thursday we went to Jesse's office for the annual HOPE "trick or treat" hour. Doesn't William make the sweetest ventriloquist doll, with Jesse, his dashing operator?

Ventriloquist act from Krista Casler on Vimeo.
When he was a little boy, Jesse learned to sing "Row, row, row your boat" in a round by himself. He did it by watching a ventriloquist act again and again on video. Since this tidbit of Jesse lore is known by many of his colleagues, it's perhaps no surprise that he was asked to perform the song at his office. And...turns out, it was caught on video!

Birthday Boy

Josiah turned 4 last month. I add my voice to the the pan-parental refrain and wonder where the years have already flown. He wanted to have his party (still just a small family affair this year) outdoors, and I have to give it to him...it was really nice to have it out back! He selected the meal and the details of the cake, and he definitely enjoyed his presents. I sure do love that boy!

(We relit the candles and blew them out again once we came inside, since William had to go to bed and it was getting dark.)

Time Goes By - August ed.

Plenty of things happened in August, but really, only one of them matters:

Mama and Pop Pop Casler moved to Lancaster.

Not just to Lancaster, in fact, but to our little neighborhood, a 3-minute walk away. 

(It's a couple of months later, and I still need to pause momentarily to convince myself that it's true and to calm my inner celebratory frenzy!)

Seriously, we couldn't be more delighted to have Jesse's parents so close or be more thankful for their incredible generosity. They are caring for the boys during the workdays. What a blessing. It's a joy to think that the boys will never remember a time when Jim and Tillie weren't an intimate part of their lives, and it's wonderful to see how Josiah and William's relationship with them has grown already. 

These photos are from just a few days after they arrived, when we enjoyed a morning together picking peaches and apples. We love you so much, Mama and Pop Pop!!

Time Goes By - July ed.

Shocking! Coverage of three months in three days!

July was notable mostly because it involved our one proper vacation for the year, a 10-day visit to Alton, NH. But before those photos, here are two from earlier in the month:

Riddles joined our household for a little over a week while her people were in the midst of major home improvement projects. Josiah took care of Riddles almost exclusively, doing everything aside from dealing with her litter box. He kept her water dish filled, fed her each day, and played with her as much as she allowed!

William began showing a keen interest in being a part of family activities. This particular picture always makes me grin as William "Goes Fish" in the pile while Jesse and Josiah are distracted with an exchange!

And now for a selection of vacation pics:

 Playing in Lake Winnipesaukee.

 A train ride on the Hobo Railroad. 

 Yummy!

 Every mini-golf course has its challenges. Sand traps...water traps...windmills...hills...

But THIS mini-golf course had the ultimate: the baby ball snatcher!

 Josiah got heavily into playing ball this summer, both pitched and off the tee.

 Handsome boy!

At the end of our time in NH, my parents agreed to care for the boys for a day so Jesse and I could celebrate our 11th wedding anniversary. We went to the Castle in the Clouds. The views were breathtaking, the history was fascinating, the weather was picture perfect, and we enjoyed a delicious meal on premises too. It was a lovely day – so long as we avoided thinking about how OLD we must be getting to be celebrating eleven years! 

Thursday good night

Hi Jesse, my love. Another midnight missive. The good news is, I think I'm just about prepared to face tomorrow! I have a snack prepared for Josiah's class, since he's the provider tomorrow. I have many gorgeous loaves of locally baked 14-grain bread sliced and ready to deliver to his school too, as specifically requested, to feed the ~55 employees for the monthly "locavore" luncheon. Fresh groceries are in the house (we were seriously low, with no fruit or veggies left). I've filled the car with gas (I was crossing my fingers earlier this evening that it would even start so I could limp the quarter mile to Turkey Hill, it was was that bad! Crisis!). Wet clothes, shoes, and umbrellas are drying from the pouring rain we had all day. A "June update" blog post is up. I had a good catch-up call with my mom. And a good catch-up talk with Holly. The living room has been vacuumed, finally (when the carpet actually crunches, that's a sign that it's time to vacuum, right?). Dishes are all washed. Laundry is in progress (although, oops, that reminds me that I never started the nasty-nasty diapers. It's going to stink upstairs I bet). I have a vague clue about what I'm doing in both of my classes tomorrow. I've put out garbage. I've finally just finished (like, 20 minutes ago) getting my head around a new study to start next week, with meetings scheduled to get students rolling on them in the morning. I attended a fascinating lecture today on the evolution of religion. I created a cool train track with Josiah, filled out forms for a variety of students for a variety of reasons, made dinner, made silly faces, made the boys laugh, made phone calls, made up (several) songs. I've nursed William. I've washed a couple of fridge shelves because I just couldn't look at them one.more.time. And while I'm listing really surprising stuff: I even took a shower.

I know what you're thinking, and you're right. You got yourself a keeper. And you know what would clinch that thought? If you could just see my fantastical hair after how much time I spent in the rain today. Jaw-dropping volume I'm sporting, I tell you. Jaw-dropping.

Oh, and the other thing I've done today? Miss you. Lots and lots. Come back soon, will you?

And now to bed.

Love, Krista

Time Goes By - June ed.

As promised, I'm back with a new, very brief update. I give you: the month of June. 

 Our summer was enriched by the fact that we hosted two college students from the end of May through early August. Emma (who attends Missouri State) and Amy (a Messiah College student) were interns at HOPE International, and it was great having them live with us! The boys really loved them. 

We try to provide Josiah with lots of opportunity to genuinely contribute to the family by giving him responsibilities of many sorts. He's usually very proud of his role in our home, and it's remarkable how much more mature he is on days when we've been intentional about treating him maturely. (We've even already started on, for instance, proper knife skills – although you probably won't get a photo of that, since I stay within inches of the cutting board when he's wielding a chef's knife!) In any case, here he is working away on pitting cherries we'd picked together at our favorite orchard. He stayed at it for ages and did an excellent job.

Here's the first time I let Josiah feed William. They both LOVED it! 

 Of course, lest you think he's too mature, be not led astray! He's definitely a monkey who, like any 3-year-old, can't find a smile when the camera's out! :) This photo is from a lovely day spent in Philadelphia one Saturday in June. We so rarely take the time to just go and "do" a destination. It was great. 

Balance Bike

For his fourth birthday a month back, Josiah received a little two-wheeler bike. It's a hand-me-down we've been saving from his cousins Jaron and Bryn (thanks guys!). I convinced Jesse to pull the pedals off of it for now so that Josiah can use it as a balance bike – learning balance from the get-go rather than going the standard training wheels route. He's already doing a great job, which is impressive given that the poor munchkin inherited a hefty portion of his mother's uncoordinated genes! Jesse, here's a video from today showing what progress he's made in just the few super-quick times we've gone out in the past week. He's so excited to show you when you return!!


Balance Bike from Krista Casler on Vimeo.

(For any bike safety police looking askance at my dear child's bare head, FYI, he always wears a helmet...plus elbow pads, knee pads, and gloves, too! But for this one video op, just on our driveway, he opted to be unencumbered by the usual gear. And (gasp!) his safety lovin' mother was cool with that.)

Time goes by - May ed.

A few months ago, Josiah was trying to reach something, and Jesse pointed out to Josiah how he was growing – how he could now stretch for things that were beyond his fingertips not too long ago. With a pensive sigh, Josiah replied, "Yeah. Time goes by."

Indeed it does! We laughed at his comment and delivery, but I too find myself wondering where the last six months have flown. Many of you (among my small cadre of readers) I realize have given up even asking when I'll put up new info. I've become increasingly avoidant of blogging the further I have let things go...where to start?? And of course life is beyond full. But Jesse is now in Kiev, and my desire to keep him connected to the little fam' back home is providing the necessary kick to put up some oh-so-overdue posts.

The plan: Pull together one or two posts each day, each providing a super quick snapshot of a missing month...pretty much just photos with captions. So, to start us off, I give you the May Edition:

We started off the month by finally feeding William his first milky rice cereal. He was nursed exclusively for 7 months. Here he is moments before the first spoonful! As you can see by his roly poly arms, he wasn't suffering without table food. That said, he LOVES food and was a happy eater from the start.

Lots of family arrived in early May for William's baptism. A special day! It was wonderful to celebrate with everyone. 

While family was in town, Josiah had his first experience fishing, out back in the creek behind our house. Unfortunately, the fish weren't biting. 

 A beautiful day at Landis Valley Museum for their annual Herb and Flower Fair.

Josiah loves it when his big cousins are around!! He can't wait for the Christmas holidays!

Trying to remember

My sweet William. I am in daily danger of being completely consumed by this loveliest of little men. I hold him at night and stare and stare and stare, trying to burn his chubby, sweet six-month-old form into my mind. I have his big brother before him to know that each passing month almost entirely obliterates the memory of the month before. And while I revel in the Now of both boys and delight as we measure each milestone, I can't help but wish I could stop time and keep him here, as a baby, as gummy and smily and silky and milky and small...

Easter

We enjoyed a lovely Easter Sunday all around. It was especially great to have Jim and Tillie with us for the weekend (they closed on their new home in our neighborhood, hooray!!).

On Easter Sunday, after church Josiah enjoyed the egg-hunt we had for him in the yard, and he also enjoyed beginning to learn (with Uncle Timmy's instruction) how to use the new baseball glove that the Easter bunny brought. For his part, first thing in the morning William enjoyed helpfully disposing of last week's palm branch, which Josiah gave to him when Mommy wasn't paying enough attention. With that symbolic act, we all were able to move on from Palm Sunday and enter into the full celebration of Easter itself.  :)

Quotes

A few recent exchanges with the boy that have amused us:

Josiah was describing how one big fish ate a smaller one at the Baltimore aquarium the other day. "Was it super gross?!" I asked with Mommy enthusiasm. He looked at me like I was crazy. "I didn't taste it," he said incredulously. Good point.

We've been tracking the arrival of spring with great happiness each day. Our delightful little magnolia tree is in full, fragrant bloom. Even more delightful is that Josiah invariantly calls it our "granolia" tree. Makes me smile every time. (He's very into granola bars right now, I should add.)

A couple of weeks ago he was taking care of a bit of business in the bathroom. "I need my privacy," he told Jesse, who obliged by heading out into the hall. A minute later he called out: "Daddy? Um, Daddy, I need...a magazine." Jesse was pretty amused and grabbed a Better Homes and Gardens from the living room. "Thanks," said Josiah as Jesse closed the door on him again. A few moments later there was a thud. Jesse stuck his head back in the doorway. "That was a Mommy magazine," Josiah explained, pointing to where he'd tossed it on the ground. A couple of days later, in a similar situation, Josiah again stated "I need my privacy" to Jesse. As Jesse was closing the door, Josiah shot out his hand to stop it. "Daddy, what's 'privacy'?"

What amuses us the most is his very adult demeanor in general. "Shall we have a little chatty time with William?" he asks frequently, that wording verbatim. Or the other day he climbed up on his train table. I was nursing Will in the other room, and he called to tell me about it. I told him he should probably get off. Several minutes passed before he called out again. "Mom, I can't quite seem to get down." Or there was the other evening when he observed (again, I report precisely) "It seems to be a bit chilly in here. I'll just turn on the fire." (Our fireplace ignites with a switch on the wall.)

Of course, he's very much three years old in his tastes and emphases. He brought in some rocks last week from a walk with Daddy. He mentioned them to me later. "Did you see my rocks, Mom?" I replied that I had indeed noticed them in the hall. "Did you see how gorgeous they are??" He also was quick to remind me yesterday, after I had the audacity to offhandedly call him "Babycakes," that he was "Big Boy Cakes." So true. Where did my Babycakes go??

Conference time = surprise mini vacation?!

I write from the luxury of a king-sized bed in the largest hotel room I've ever stayed in.

Each year around this time I attend (and usually present something or other at...) a major conference in my field, which can be held anywhere in the country and sometimes internationally. I was beyond delighted when I realized, a year ago, that this year's event would be held in Baltimore, a mere 1.5 hours from our home. Given that I remain William's sole source of nutrition, a further flung destination probably would have nixed my involvement this year. As it is, though, Jesse and the boys have come along...and circumstances couldn't have worked out more perfectly! Somehow it serendipitously ended up — to our suprise and delight — that we're staying in a gigantic king suite and a double queen (yes, two hotel rooms, adjoining). We only had reserved one room, naturally, but a hotel snafu yielded us this delightful outcome upon check-in. The boys are currently asleep, each in their own queen bed in the adjoining room. Unreal. Thank you, Hampton Inn!

Whoa. That's a lot of detail on the room. I guess it's obvious I'm pleased! (Seriously, it was going to be a bit difficult to all stay in one room with William very much needing to go to sleep at 6 p.m.  Having this wonderful amount of space to spread and play with an active 3-year-old has changed the entire feel of things!)

Anyhow, while I've been in conference sessions during the days, my boys have been enjoying a bit of Baltimore. Josiah and Jesse spent a bunch of hours at the aquarium today. I kept Will with me during that time since this is an infancy conference, after all. It's so nice to be in a place where my baby is seen by my professional peers as a completely worthwhile addition to my hip rather than a nuisance. I can tote him around without worry, nurse him in the back of conference rooms, no questions, no raised eyebrows, no problem.

Tomorrow morning Jesse and the boys are heading to a railroad museum (Josiah can't wait!) while I take in a few more sessions, and we'll head home in the afternoon. Oh, and my talk yesterday went well, making the whole thing worth it. Phew!

Killing me

I'm working insane hours this semester. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining; I have a lot more flexibility in my schedule at some times during the year than people in most other professions, and I'm (truly) thankful for my wonderful, secure, rewarding, always-changing job! But I'm on the thin edge right now working 80 hour weeks and sleeping broken, very short nights, with no sign of relief until May. Jesse has moved to a part time schedule at work this year, and it's so (so, so, soooo) wonderful that the boys are receiving almost undivided parental love and attention even if they're not getting it from me as much as I'd like for these few months.

Anyway, that's not the point of the post. This picture Jesse sent me today at 5:09 p.m., shot with his camera phone, with the subject line "come home soon!" is the point of this post. Seriously, how could a mother do anything but ditch it all and rush out the door? Killing me, I tell you, killing me!

* Note: After posting this, Jesse informed me that he had socks stuffed under William's legs to keep his feet up high enough so the trains could pass under. Hilarious!!

Thirty-three

We celebrated Jesse's birthday yesterday, knowing that today would be busy with work and all. Tim and Holly came over, the requested cake and dinner was made, and lots of balloons were hung. Lots of fun! And...here's a super cute shot of William with his Auntie Holly.

Twinned

Freshman year of college, Jesse was attending a Bible study in his dorm led by a wise upperclassman named Dave Yescott when he first met Steve Miller. Little did Jesse and Steve know how much their their paths (and sense of humor) would overlap over the next four years. They became fast friends. Since college days, even their family lives have mirrored one another's. When Steve and Marcia moved from the Boston area to the Philly area several years ago, we had no idea that we were shortly going to be leaving Boston for Lancaster ourselves. Zachary was born barely three months after we had Josiah in 2006, and in the most recent installment of our twinned lives, William and Eli were born all of one week apart last fall! They're now down in Maryland, and we made the three hour drive last weekend. If our boys' friendships can be anything as good as what their parents are fortunate enough to enjoy today, they'll be lucky little men indeed. 

Will and Eli's first meeting was a hit!

We tried to visit a playground and had fun in spite of the fact that the snow hadn't been cleared.

The boys (all of them) enjoyed lots of crashing and football. Even Teddies got in on the game!

Walkin' and stompin' up the street. 

We even found we have matching Bumbos for our babies. We wish we lived closer, Steve and Marcia!!