What a difference!

I know I've said it probably too many times, but oh how I am enjoying the nicer weather. I don't enjoy being cooped up in the winter, but I really don't enjoy being out in the cold. Being out in the sunshine and fresh air is such a delight, and getting exercise also is a boost to my spirits. For example, today I did more weeding, spread three bags of mulch, and walked the kids to and from the playground. It feels great! Our new tradition is to stop at Cheri's house on the way to the playground. If she's home and has time to join us, then she comes with us to the playground. In the picture below of Ian on the swing, you can see she's sitting on a park bench holding Oliver. I think people assume that she's their grandmother. On the way back home we always stop and say hi to Queenie (dog pictured at left). The extra time outdoors makes it a little harder to do schoolwork, but we still fit it in most days (not today). She's only four years old, and there's no rule saying she must do schoolwork five days a week at this age.

Paul found out at his interview yesterday that 45 people applied for the post doctorate position at Colgage. It was encouraging to know he was ranked in the top 3 of those 45 applicants. They are interviewing their third candidate next week so we'll have to wait a bit to find out if he was picked or not. Now he's starting to prepare his lesson demonstration (they assigned him the topic of buffers) for next Friday. I was very encouraged to see a four-year school (in WV) posted a tenure track position today! They are looking for someone to teach general and physical chemistry, which is right up Paul's alley. We would love it if they would invite him to interview there. Time will tell. If he doesn't get a job offer in the next few weeks, we are going to start submitting applications for one year full-time adjunct positions just about anywhere in the United States (the first 51 applications went to schools within a 9 hour drive of Paul's parents). If we find out next week that Paul wasn't picked to interview at Bloomsburg, then we'll put our house on the market ASAP. If he is picked to interview there, we'll wait until we find out if they offer him a job or not.

I discovered when Nadia got her first tooth how hard it was to get a good picture that showed her pearly white. I knew it would be hard the second time around. Well it's been easy this time (can you see that pearly white in the pic at left?). What a difference having a better camera makes! Paul was amazed at how much Oliver improved in his scooting around the floor abilities while he was gone. If you blink your eyes, a baby changes in some way it seems! Our next door neighbors (they moved here in early December) also have three kids (ages 7, 5, and 16 months), and the mom and I were talking yesterday about how we were in NO hurry for the third child to learn to walk (compared to being so excited about that with the first child). Oliver hasn't made any attempts to pull himself up or take a first step or anything like that, and it's fine by me. As it is, it feels like he's growing up too fast anyhow! I did promote him from a breathable bumper to the bumper that matches his crib set. When I come in to get him, I see him "talking" with the teddy bears on his bumper. Adorable!