It has been a long long while since I have updated this. Since I last updated I have gotten a new job with John Deere as a distance learning coordinator. Only a month in but I am really enjoying the job. Now some that read this will say well Lucas you liked your job at Farmers in the first month too. This is different. For one there hasn't really been a training period in the new job so much. Its just learn by doing for the most part so I am not sitting insulated in this training room with any misconceptions on what the job may or may not be. I am just a contingent in John Deere (JD) right now. Which means I am hourly with a contracting company separate of the actual company. I am very happy with the change and I am glad that the opportunity was pointed out to me.

Danica is well into her 5th year of teaching and enjoying it but looking at that next step for her masters or something like that. She is very friendly with her principal (some have thrown around hand to the king references like Game of Thrones) so this year she has gotten some opportunities to really show off with different teams and stuff. I am very happy to see her be so successful at something that she is perfect more.

Now on to the real reason folks follow. Ze baby. Addison is all over the place. She will turn 3 in December but has all the attitude of most grown women I know. With Danica she is constantly up in her grill and wanting to cuddle and things like that. When she is home with me she is a little more independent. She plays with all her toys and often plays games on our tablet. The most recent battle has been over dinners. Danica and I try to make her eat what we eat but Addison tends to disagree with this school of thought. So each evening is a little bit of battle but I assure you we won't let her waste away.

Well I am tired and way too much has happened since the last update to get it all so I will leave you with that. Thanks for reading.  If you aren't then really does this blog exist? Kind of a tree falling in the woods thing here.

Also go Chiefs and go Patriots.

So......it's been awhile

Well it has been quite the while since I have updated.

Addison is walking/running everywhere. Basically if she is awake she is on the move.

Work is going well. Scores are good and really starting to feel at home while at work, if that makes sense.

Danica's school year is going well but she is already looking forward to spring break.

The rest of this post I type with a heavy heart:

My father is dead. It still feels weird to type it, say it, or even to think it. A couple weeks back he was taken to the hospital and he would not again be responsive. Jacob and I got down there on the Monday evening and he passed away around 1:30pm the following Friday (Jan 27, 2012). While he wasn't responsive while we were there I do believe that he knew we were there. We had a few days at the end to reflect and to spend time with family as we both grieved and prepared for the end.

My friends, family, and co-workers have been amazing throughout the whole process. The service went very well and given the situation it could not have been better. I feel like the time that we had in the hospital did help to give us a chance to say good bye and to let him know it was okay to go.

Things have been getting back to normal as I have gone back to work and the condolences have begun to slow down. While my routine has gotten back to normal it is clear to me at this point that somethings will never be the same. Every time I sit down to watch football I will think of him. Every time I visit Newton and think "I better text dad so we can get breakfast Sunday." And of course every time I watch Jaws or Dick Tracy I will think of the man that would sit and watch one of them with me anytime I wanted to. I love you dad and I will miss you always.

Loren Edward Mitchell November 3, 1952 - January 27, 2010.

He finished well.

Earache? Earache, frowny face.

Addison has been a bit fussy this week. She woke up Sunday morning
with a nose leaking like a faucet. By tuesaday day Danica had to leave
work early to take her to doctor's office. Turns out she has an ear
infection on top of the cold that was on top of teething. They gave
her some antibiotics and already today she seems like she is doing a
little better. I think we are on the downward slope of it which is good.

I started learning how to enter in glass claims at work and all the
particulars of that. We will be on the phones tomorrow and Friday
doing only auto claims. Then next week we will be in our transition
week getting ready for our actual shifts the following week after that.

Gotta go make some lemon bars for our bake sale at work tomorrow.
Doing a fundraiser as a class and we get to wear jeans and our t-
shirts which is pretty baller.

Lemon bars here I come!

Dear friends and devoted readers...

Hello friends and family. It has been a long while since I have had an entry.

As opposed to give a long long long entry I will do a few short ones in the next couple days to update people on things.

Addison is all over the place. She began crawling back in July and now there isn't an inch of our (new) apt that hasn't been explored by her. Now she is cruising around all our furniture and on the verge (we think and dread) of walking.

Danica has begun her school year and is enjoying the kids and being back at work. She has a new crop of kids this year that will present different challenges than she had last year.

I began a new job as a customer service associate at Farmers Insurance. I am really enjoying it. Although we are still in training so our day to day is a bit different then it will be in a month or so when I am actually on the floor. Getting back into the groove of work has been interesting specifically because I have never had a 40 hours a week job. We all get up in the morning and leave at the same time. We are the nice suburban family that we always wanted to be.

We went to the circus today with Addison. Although I was reluctant at first it ended up being a very fun day and Addison was a rockstar the whole time.

Well that is it for now. Below is the awesome cup that I will be taking to work for a coffee mug come Monday morning.

\

Goodbye dear friend

It is with a heavy heart that I type this. We found out this morning that our dear friend Todd Fitzsimmons was killed in a car accident. This came as a big shock to our system (me specifically). Todd was one of the groomsmen in my wedding, and while he did not have the "best man" title on that day he was one of the best men that I ever had the pleasure of knowing. With enthusiasm that was contagious to all those around him, you couldn't help but love having him around. He will be missed by many friends and even more so by his family, which he always had animated and heartfelt stories that showed just how much they loved each other. We were all blessed to have Todd in our lives and he was taken from us at much too young of an age.

Myself, Phil, Jacob and Todd in front of ESU on my wedding day

For the rest of this life I will look forward to seeing you in the next.

Danica's Post

Lucas usually posts on here but, I have something that I would like to share...our success with a new nightly routine. 

7:00-7:20  2nd solid Feeding (usually a vegetable because it is "heavier")

7:20-7:30 Addison plays on floor by herself, while I clean up dinner and get stuff ready for her bedtime

7:30- 8:00  Addison and I play on the floor (at the end of this time we put toys away together...basically me having her grab toys and holding the toy box next to her)

8:00-8:15   Begin our routine, in her bedroom with the noise machine on, and lights off

1. P.J.'s on while she starts a bottle
2. Cuddle with snuggle toy in Mommy's lap
3. Finish the bottle while mom reads Addison's two favorite books
4. Then Mommy rubs Addison's back, while humming a lullaby
5. Addison falls fast asleep and is placed into bed, where she cuddles with the snuggle toy more

8:15  Mommy and Daddy have the evening to themselves!  

I know it all seems quite simple, but we have been having a lot of trouble with bed time recently.  Addison is teething and going through a separation anxiety phase.  And as most of you know when you are a parent you celebrate the small victories as much as the large ones. 

Happy Birthday to my Wife and Brother

Happy Birthday to my great wife, Danica Mitchell and my brother Jacob Mitchell!!!

Well their birthday is on Friday but figured since I was updating now I would throw it in there. 

Went to Newton last week to visit the family down there. Had a pretty good visit. Got to spend a lot of time with family and see a plethora of different friends, some of whom hadn't met our little princess yet. 

Speaking of Addison she is right on the cusp of crawling. She is very close and can get her little hands and knees under herself but doesn't realize what she needs to do from there. She will be getting plenty of tummy time so that she can work the kinks out. Granted the second she knows how to crawl its good night nurse as we try to contain her. 

Well we are watching Shrek 4 so I will sign off for the moment.  

Have a wonderful afternoon.