You want updates? You got 'em!

If you're like me, you don't actually visit anyone's blog anymore. You just read all your friends' blogs through Google Reader. This is great for efficiency and up-to-date-ness. This is not so great for commenting on your friends' blogs or seeing things on their blog that aren't in the posts themselves.

For example, some of you have recently updated your blogs with some really cute templates and pictures. I will have no idea until I click on your blog address itself instead of its most recent post.

That being said, many of you probably have no idea that I just spent my entire Sunday evening updating our family status on the sidebar of our blog. So here's a post of the same stuff for all my Google Reader fans.

Now isn't that efficient?!

Michael


** Is frustrated to be doing so poorly in FANTASY FOOTBALL this year (secretly, I hope this means he won't do it next year, but I know that is a desperate hope...) ** Is commisioner again for his FANTASY BASKETBALL league, which just started up this week - he's hoping for better luck here than he's been having with football ** Excited to actually SEE HIS GIRLS this month since he traveled 75% of October ** Also excited to EAT TURKEY and TAKE DAYS OFF WORK this month (me too!) ** Has GAINED BACK some of the weight he had lost this summer as a result of TRAVELING and HALLOWEEN - and knows the holidays won't help with this (although he says he's been getting more "You're looking slim" comments than ever, and has decided that people must just feel sorry for him!) ** Glad to be DONE WITH YARDWORK for the season (until we do our annual Aagard Leaf Harvest - but that's something to look forward to!)


Shelley


** 5 MONTHS PREGNANT and happy to have another baby on the way ** Experiencing the WORST REFLUX of my life that hasn't gone away, even though I'm way past the first trimester ** Have completely GIVEN UP MILK and most things dairy - my favorite things to eat and drink in the world!!! ** Still TEACHING PRESCHOOL 2 days a week - this month we're focusing on FUN WITH NUMBERS! ** Involved in the MID-TERM ELECTIONS for the first time in my life - actually working the polls and putting signs in my yard ** Counting down the days for HARRY POTTER - aren't you?!?! Glad to be easing my way BACK INTO THE KITCHEN - and maybe will finally be up to cooking meat by the time Thanksgiving rolls around!

Shaelyn


** Starting her LAST MONTH as a 3-year-old, and so ready to be 4 and have a birthday already! ** STARTING TO READ - and I'm not kidding about this - she has about 50 words she can read up to this point, and tries sounding out new words most times we read together ** Happy to be in a ROUTINE of preschool, ballet, and playdates - asks me every morning, "Mommy, what are we SLEEPING and EATING for today?" (...as though her activities are the only reason any of us sleep or eat in this house! HA!) ** Deep in the "WHY?" phase most preschoolers go through (and yes, it is tiring and annoying, just like all of you have testified) ** Has been getting in trouble lately for NOT DOING HER SHARE of work around the house - her combination of stubborness and laziness is downright deadly! ** Finally gave up wearing dresses everyday and is now excited to be wearing LONG SLEEVES and PANTS everyday - just like what Mommy wears! ** Was SAD TO SAY "GOODBYE" to Halloween, until I told her that means we get to have Thanksgiving, her birthday, and Christmas next - talk about a change of tune! She couldn't say "goodbye" to Halloween fast enough after that! ** FAVORITE MOVIES: Mary Poppins and Alice in Wonderland ** FAVORITE NEW SHOW: The Cat in the Hat Knows A lot about That! ** FAVORITE SONG: anything Miss Nicolle teaches her during music time at school (and she LOVES Miss Nicolle)

Rachelle


** Went from HARDLY TALKING ever to full-blown SENTENCES and CONVERSATIONS practically overnight! She was just waiting until she had something to say! ** Learning words and actions to all kinds of fun songs, like POPCORN POPPING and THE WHEELS ON THE BUS ** Has started to SAY PRAYERS this month, with the cutest little voice you've ever heard ** Can REPEAT almost anything you say, and Shaelyn just loves teaching her new words ("Good job, Rachelle!" is what I hear more often than not when they are playing) ** Has learned to SAY HER NAME - "Ah-sheuhw" - and everyone else in the family ("Shay-nin"). She can also say the name of everyone in "her" preschool class ("Cah," "Nana," "Ri-nin," "Cah-oh")
** Is my little CLING-BOT of late, always wanting Mommy, and ONLY Mommy, to hold her - she knows competition is on its way! ** Less COOPERATIVE about NAPS than she's ever been - not taking naps some days, not falling asleep until 3:30 on other days after being in her crib for almost 2 hours, taking off her diaper and pooping in her crib... it's been a real adventure! ** Finally letting me PULL HER HAIR BACK and is cuter than ever as a result! ** Becoming really CLUMSY and has about a dozen gashes, bruises, or bumps on her face and head to prove it