The Days of Our Lives...

Welcome to another week in the Tharp household! Daddy got home Monday evening, and we are thrilled. Grammie got home safely from our Worland airport Saturday, and we can't wait to see Auntie Hannah in a few weeks. We then head to Charlotte, NC to visit the Brooks family and hopefully meet up with Ipa. We only wish Auntie Sumner could join us! We've had a fun week so far and have fun things planned for the rest of the sunny week as well. Friday we're headed to Meeteetse with the Shade kiddos (OK, yes I'm excited to have an outing with Momma Amanda too!) to visit a special Lincoln exhibit at the museum. It's geared for kids, so it should be a lot of fun. We then plan on having a picnic if the weather stays nice. Saturday we have a birthday party, so it will be a busy few days. I'm headed to a board meeting at the hospital tomorrow evening to talk about our plans to help recruit new doctors. I met with hospital officials last week for some brainstorming, and we're all really excited. We have a possible family doctor visiting next week and Amanda and I have been working on a productive morning with his wife. It should be a lot of fun.

This week has been full of new adventures...mainly eating for Beckett. He'll be 6 months old next week and is just starting to like cereal. He's eaten a whole bowl for the last several days and has a lot of fun playing with the new texture in his mouth. He's just such a happy boy when he gets his sleep and is not battling teeth.

Yummy?...

Yes, yummy...

More, please!

Natalie had a busy day at school yesterday but still wanted to go to the grocery store on the way home. Against my better judgement I agreed, and I learned my lesson! Since I had both kids with me, there was no room for her in the cart and all the little push carts for toddlers were gone (that really helps keep her focused and occupied). So, we ventured in anyway with the agreement that if she cooperated and listened well she could get a surprise out of the 25 cent machines on the way out. Well, I had to get strict with her every two seconds, and she kept throwing her toy horse all over the produce. Luckilly Mrs. Forshee got to see the fireworks at the end and the wonderful emotional performance put forth by my daughter in the checkout line. She asked if she could get a surprise, and I politely told her she didn't listen very well this time so we would try again next time. I knew it was coming, so I couldn't do much more than giggle at the situation when she hit the floor in full tantrum mode and tried to jump out of the cart when Adrienne graciously offered to pick her up and try and console her. Luckilly it was mid-day and not many people were shopping. At that point I couldn't give in, so Adrienne helped put the green bags in my cart while I lugged the two babes outside. I was proud of myself for going with the flow, accepting the fact that the more I pushed her to stop screaming the more she would scream, so quiet "shushing" and hugs were all I could give her. Needless to say, Nattie was asleep in her carseat within 5 minutes, and I will no longer try to avoid another trip into town by shopping after school. Beckett didn't make a peep the whole time, and the silver lining was I got to visit with Mrs. Nice-Lady Forshee from Ten Sleep that I don't often see, but that fate has thrown with me twice in the last two weeks!

Grandpa Guy is coming over today for a few hours so I can get a cleaning at the dentist and work out. Beckett is getting more used to him these days, so I hope all goes well! We hope you all are having a great week and those of you with sick kiddos can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Love and hugs to all.

Natalie with her new electric toothbrush. She likes ours and seems to brush more enthusiasticly with her new one.

"Convince your children that your love is not based on their performance." ~unknown