There have been several new developments over the last few days. I'm a little too tired to go into it right now, but I did want to at least get some of my cute pictures up. These are all from today. They are mostly of Evan because Zachary wanted to be behind the camera rather than in front of it.
That being "said", Marcus has had enough. He did it... He took the plunge; made the leap; he "pulled the trigger". On Monday, Marcus gave 30 days notice to the partners in the firm.
It turns out that Marcus has stumbled onto a potentially great opportunity with another attorney in the area. After thinking about it for months, he inevitably decided to take the plunge and leave the firm.
He and this other attorney have come to an arrangement where Marcus will work primarily from home (which he is completely jazzed about), but also out of the attorney's office. I can't go into too many details yet, but Marcus will be his own boss, and there is apparently a backlog of cases waiting for him when he leaves next month. He will be specializing in civil litigation, family law, and trust and estates.
Now, that was the "good" spin. The scary part is that Marcus and I realize that this is a HUGE risk. There is no net... I have been having some mini-panic attacks the past three days. I wanted him to do it, but the reality is daunting. I just have to keep remembering it was an opportunity that probably would not come again, and Marcus has been so miserable lately.
Marcus is currently working on a business plan, and we we were just sent some FANTASTIC logo designs (for business cards, letterhead, etc.) from my aunt Shelley. Kris and his "crew" will be creating his website very soon, and I will be a kind of secretary for him in the evenings.
We'll keep you updated as the business gets off the ground. We agree that this will either be the smartest, most gutsy thing we've ever done, or... the most galactically stupid. Only time will tell. The other day, Marcus joked, "Wow... working from home, I could totally do my work in just boxers! I could be on a conference call, and no one would know!" ...Let's prey they don't do video conferencing...
First off... check out Evan's new skill!! He is standing everywhere he possibly can. It started about Monday, and since then he has been into everything. Much to Zachary's chagrin!
Today, Marcus and I took the boys to Purdue's annual Bug Bowl. We'd never actually been there before, but it seemed like a nice activity for the family today.
That's my family!!
In the Entomology building, there were hundreds of different species of insects to see. To Zachary, however, they were all either a "Bee-bug" or a "Butterfry"!
Looking at the "Butterfries"
"Look, Mommy! Pretty colors!"
"Are deez Bee-bugs, Mommy?"
Hard to imagine that these things inhabit the same world I do...
"Wow Mom... I'm not sure I could BE any more UNDERWHELMED!"
There were more than just bugs there -- There were pony rides, a petting zoo, food, activities... and those were just the tents we made it to in the hour and a half we were there. There was also a cricket-spitting contest and chocolate-covered grasshopper tastings... but we decided to forgo those this year!!
At the petting zoo, Zachary got to interact with some cows, sheep, a momma pig and her babies, and MY personal favorite; BABY DUCKS! I don't have pictures of that, because I was holding the duckling, and Zachary was petting it (Marcus and Evan were staying clear of the crowds for that one.) I definitely want to take my little guys back again next year!
Zachary petting a newly-sheered sheep. He kept coming back to this one for some reason. It was bleating, and Zachary kept saying, "OH! That's LOUD!"
Kid-sized cotton candy for a monster-sized sugar rush!
The last place we hit was the bug "petting zoo". I was actually really looking forward to that. As you know, I had to learn to wrangle several kinds of creepy-crawlers when I worked at the Indy zoo. I was excited to see how Zachary would react to those kinds of things. Zachary and I touched them ALL. From the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach, to the millipede, to the tarantula. Zachary's daddy? Well... I think somebody was a big ole chicken!!!
Hanging back with Dad
Getting up close and personal with some friendly moth larva. Zachary said that they were soft... He was right!
Zachary said that the millipede's feet tickled. When I let it crawl on me, he looked up and said, "Does 'at tickle, Mommy?!!?"
After the Bug Bowl, we went straight over to Sarah and Adam's for Max's 100-day celebration; which is a Chinese tradition celebrating a child's first 100 days of life. Of course, Max's 100th day didn't fall on a weekend, so I'll just say it was Max's 100-ISH day celebration!
Evan's loving the "no shoes" policy in Sarah's house!
Glad to have you in the family, Max!
Contemplating a book. What a sweetie...
Evan making friends with another wee party guest
All in all, a fan-tab-u-lous day. I so enjoy when I can spend some real quality time with Marcus and our boys. Those days are truly precious. I think back to my childhood and my happiest memories are of activities with my family. It gives me a whole lot of joy knowing that little afternoons like this - while brief - are just the beginning of those kinds of memories for my kids.
2009 was officially the first year that the Easter Bunny hopped through the Knotts house. Rumor has it that Mrs. Bunny found Easter baskets, grass, eggs and basket fillers last April for next to NOTHING at clearance sales. Mrs. Bunny LOVES clearance sales... almost as much as Mr. Bunny LOVES the extra candy left over after stuffing baskets for the Knotts boys!
Green basket is for Evan (eggs filled with toddler puffs - not candy), and the blue basket is for Zachary (THOSE eggs are filled with candy!)
Too bad for Zachary that he missed most of the festivities. Poor little guy got sick again and got to visit the doc on Saturday. The doctor heard Zachary's honking cough from down the call, came in, and said, "Yup, that cough sounds croupy to me!"
Couple of days of liquid steroids, and he looks and sounds MUCH better. I didn't want to expose other kids to whatever bug he had though, so Zachary and Marcus stayed home for a little father-son bonding, while Evan and I hit the road for our Easter Sunday rounds!
Zachary enjoying some chocolate (for BREAKFAST...). I love the "sick kid hair". You know what I'm talking about; after a child has spent the night tossing and turning and sweating with the fever, the 'do looks like that in the morning!
The first stop was in South Bend to see the Hall side of the family. Here are some shots.
After spending a few lovely hours with the family and fantastic food, we moved on to Peru to see the Sullivan fam and some more fantastic food! Unfortunately, after taking one fuzzy picture in Peru, my battery went dead. There's always next time, I guess!!
Thanks for the the good times and good conversation, everybody!
Because Zachary missed the Easter egg hunt, Grandma Sullivan gave us some extras, and we hid them around his room after work tonight. He was absolutely GIDDY with the hunt! Running back and forth, back and forth; giggling and saying "Where is it? Where is it?"
Hope everyone had a blessed Easter, and that you all have a great week! Only four more days until the weekend!!
The daycare we currently use follows the school schedule; which means, when the school has a vacation, the daycare is also closed. This past week, the boys were on spring break. Monday and Tuesday, Grandma Sullivan braved the Knotts 'wildlife', and watched the boys. Not ONLY did she babysit all day, both days... but she made DINNER! Fried chicken on Monday and ribs on Tuesday.... (I'm getting hungry just thinking about it!)
Since Maya's birthday was also on Tuesday, and Lehna's was last weekend, the Wagner ladies came over for ribs and cake (not together...)
The Birthday Girls blowing out the candles. (The gouge in the cake occurred when Maya decided to 'help' by picking up the cake and holding it... on it's side.)
The impromptu cake. The girls are now 2 and 4 years old.
Wednesday and Thursday, the boys got to spend the days with my dad, at his house. NOTHING gets Zachary moving in the morning, like telling him that he's going to see his grandpa!! He was telling ME to hurry!!!
On Thursday, Marcus was in another county for a mediation, and didn't get home until after 11:30 pm. Because I knew he was going to be gone, Julie and I caught some sales, and I was finally able to use my Christmas money to get new clothes for work. It's been so long since I've gone shopping for clothes for myself that I was shocked at what an expensive proposition that could be! Sheesh. ...Good thing I'm cheap!!
On Friday, we ALL slept in (EVEN MARCUS!), and then I got to spend the day with my little men, and Marcus went to work late. We even surprised him with coffee at work later in the day. Zachary busted through the firm doors shouting, "Daddy's work! Daddy's work!!" ...Yes, we had arrived!
Today, I talked Marcus into doing NOTHING related to law! Instead, he decided to burn our pile of branches (two-year's worth... the pile was taller than me!). I think it was just a tad cathartic for him! We also gave Zachary his first experience with coloring eggs. Much destruction ensued!
"Oh, I can't look..."
"Look at all the colors!" (Which, when asked, Zachary informed me that each one was either 'yellow' or 'green'. Gotta start working on his colors!)
"Dipper? I don't need no stinkin' dipper! I've got fingers!"
As you can see, Zachary picked out the 'Cars' egg-coloring kit... shocker
Even Evan had some Easter egg fun!
"Mmmmm, plastic eggs are yummy!"
I tried to get a video of Evan doing is little army crawl. It's amazing how fast he can go crawling that way! As I was taping, I caught another one of Evan's activities... visiting with the "baby" that he sees in the oven... check it out!
One more little update: Potty training Zachary is NOT going well. He just does NOT want to do it! I even got the "Elmo's Potty Time" video that I thought would help. Didn't know that he would rather watch the video INSTEAD of going potty himself... oy.
Here are just a few more pictures of my blue-eyed sunshine! Thanks for checking in, sticking with the long update, and everyone have a wonderful Easter!
