Park Day

This morning we found ourselves with a little extra time on our hands - well, not really EXTRA time, but we used it as an excuse to head to the park!  The weather has been a bit cooler (meaning below 90 degrees at 9:00 in the morning!) so it seemed like the perfect day to fit in one more park adventure before I flat-out refuse to take my children to any sort of outdoor activity that does not involve a swimming pool.  :)

We pull up to the park and the kids notice that none of their friends are there.  Then, the complaining starts..."What are we gonna do????"..."Who am I gonna play with?"...blah, blah, blah.  My wonderful reply...'It's a park!  You'll find something to do!'  Sheesh!  I guess it's probably my fault...we usually do go to the park with all our friends because, let's face it...I enjoy it a lot more too when I have a friend to talk to while the kids play. :)  But anyway, we were on our own today for the most part!  

But, when all was said and done, we had a BLAST!  Garrett and I put the stop-watch function on his wristwatch to good use!  We had a full-on competition to see who could swing across the rings faster than the other person. Yep, haven't done that since 5th grade!!!  We timed Ethan until he reached his personal-best time in 'running-up-the-slide-as-fast-as-you-can' competition.  7 seconds...not bad for a little 4 year old!  Garrett and I even timed each other as we raced to see who could climb up and down every single one of the ladders on the play structure.  And let me just say that I WON...even though it was harder than I thought to contort my body into some of those tiny child-sized rope ladder entrances!!!  We probably would have seen who could jump farthest off the swing, we were on a roll...but Olivia was done with the heat (I guess it wasn't as cool as I had hoped!) and was quite vocal about it! And we had some friends show up and I didn't quite feel like showing off my jumping skills...or being shown-up by my 8 year old son!  :)  Or who knows...maybe they could have joined right in!?!?

So take a stop-watch with you the next time you go out!  Who knows what kind of fun you can have!!!

Testing the Waters...literally!

Yesterday I took my two younger kids with me to meet a couple of friends for lunch.  While we were there, Ethan announced that he had to use the restroom.  Me, being the really great mom that I am, assessed the situation - I had just gotten my food (10 minutes after everyone else) and was way behind...Olivia was restless and not wanting to sit in her high-chair and was threatening to jump out at any given chance...and we were sitting very close to the bathrooms.  So I send him in alone, telling him to make sure he washes his hands and to come right back out as soon as he was done.  Maybe not the best decision for a 4 year old, but a few minutes later, he comes out wiping his hands on his shorts...so all is well.

Fast forward enough time to devour a really yummy lunch and visit with amazing friends while trying to keep the kiddos entertained and somewhat quiet.  I had noticed two older couples sitting near-by, watching our kids.  In fact at one point, one of the cute older ladies with super white hair came up to me and told me that I should "treasure these times".  I assured her I was trying...but she just smiled knowingly and patted my arm as she walked by, like she totally understands how hard it is sometimes to treasure these moments!  :)  Bless her.  This cute group seemed entertained by all the crazy kids and not annoyed like some people could be, so it was a very nice lunch.  

As we were outside, ready to leave, this group followed us out and stopped to chat while one of the men went to pull up their car.  The other man walked up to me, and asked which kids were mine.  I pointed them out and then the guy moved in really close, patted my arm, and said that he had been in the restroom at the same time as Ethan.   He then proceeded to tell me his observations.  Ethan apparently had been standing at the urinal...doing his business.  Then the wheels in E's little head started spinning and the guy could tell that he was trying to make a decision.  After a few hesitations, Ethan decided to go for it and stuck his hand into the urinal to experience the running water first hand.  In the man's words, "He tested the water...not tasted mind you...but tested it." So I guess I should be grateful, it could have been worse!  He then proceeded to tell me that watching E had made his day and that he hadn't stopped laughing about it since.  :)  I joked with him and said that I needed to excuse myself and go over and sanitize my child's hands and that his daddy would be taking him on a tour of the men's room soon enough...and pointing out all the things that we don't touch in there!  :)  He just kept saying that it was the funniest thing and that he had truly enjoyed watching all the kids.  The cute white-haired woman then started in again on treasuring these moments.  I wonder if her little ones had ever tested the urinal water?!?!  

But, really I'm trying.  I'm trying to cherish these moments that are flying by much too quickly!  Some days are better than others...but I love it!  How blessed I am to be the mother of these three crazy and delightful (and apparently very germy) children!  :)

Reason #7256

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with how many reasons I have to love my children.  :)  Like sitting down to lunch with Ethan today, we split a grapefruit.  I LOVE that he loves grapefruit...just the way I love them!  And I love that we 'shared' it.  Both of us could easily (and happily) eat the whole thing...but we know just how much the the person loves it too...so we split it in half and happily ate it together.  Squirting each other with juice every other bite, was just a perk!  :)

Motherhood is Humbling

Oh well.  That is pretty much all I can say after this conversation with a certain 3 year old!

We were just getting home from a morning full of a fun breakfast with friends, errands and a quick church meeting...a pretty busy schedule for our lovely low-key spring break.  This is the conversation that ensued... 

Ethan (coming in to my room as I'm dropping off my purse) - Hey Mom?

Me - What?

Ethan - Why you still wearing your pajamas?

Me - WHAT?!?!?!  My pajamas?  What do you mean?

Ethan - Yeah...You're pajamas.  You look like you're still wearing your pajamas.  (Said completely matter-of-factly, I might add!)

Me - Uh....these are NOT my pajamas.  But why don't you go out of my room.  I apparently need to change my clothes.  

So there you have it...my 3 year old apparently thinks I wore my pajamas all over town today.  Goes to show that I shouldn't deviate from my 4 pairs of jeans and normal shirts that I rotate through every week.  And, so much for trying to show that St. Paddy's spirit and wear green!  I just wish we would have had this conversation BEFORE leaving the house this morning!  Needless to say, those capri's are now in the donate bag in my closet!  :)

Scary Stuff

The boys are (as we speak), putting together sticker montages for their doors.  Their purpose: to scare mom away so she can't come in the rooms.  Nice.  

It's quite amusing to see their 'works-in-progress' though.  Garrett's page is covered in cartoony snakes and the likes (and realistically, that WOULD keep me away!). Ethan's is covered with Goofy (yes from Mickey Mouse...chilling I know!), a rhino, a spaceship (that apparently is supposed to blast off through my bellybutton), and a smiley face (that is supposed to smile and eat me all day!).  I keep getting a sneak-peak of Ethan's as he keeps running downstairs, (laughing hysterically!), and filling me on on the 'whys' of each sticker selection.  

Olivia through all this, is scribbling happily through an entire coloring book...pleased as punch to have all the crayons to herself!  :)

How I love these kids and their crazy antics!

Toes

So, I have a confession.  Apparently I didn't dust last week.  Or let me rephrase...the BOYS didn't dust last week (or for a few weeks, by the looks of it!).  Dusting is one of their jobs...so the blame doesn't fall on me, right?!?!  But regardless, I sat down on the floor the other day and came across this cuteness.  I know it's random, but it made me smile and made me laugh and made me sad for just how quickly my kiddos are growing up.  

These are Olivia's toe prints...caked in the dust on a little end table that sits at the end of our couch. (In the boys' defense, this table is hidden away and I know they did dust the other, more well-traveled areas!)  Anyway, I love seeing her toeprints.  They capture her entire personality in those 5 little dusty toes!  They are daring and adventurous.  Scaling the table.  Climbing up on top.  How is she old enough to even attempt such a thing?!?!  :) 

multi-tasking

You may be guilty of too much multi-tasking if your baby girl doesn't simply grab a phone and jabber away on it like most kids do.

Instead she takes it, dials away until she feels she's produced enough beeps, tilts her head to hold it to her shoulder, goes straight to walking around, and proceeds to 'talk' that way. 

  

Now if I could just get her to fold a batch of laundry or unload the dishwasher during each phone call...then she'd really be like me!  :)

the pii remote

So, the other day, Ethan was in the bathroom doing his business.  :)  Actually (as is very common for us), he was REFUSING to do his business even though he was dancing around like a little ballerina, and I was making him stay in the bathroom until he gave in and actually went!  Just so you can see how good of a mother I really am!  :)  

Olivia had been wandering around the house during all this and was, unbeknownst to me, carrying around one of our wii remotes.  She snuck into the bathroom and since all of Ethan's attention was focused on avoiding the toilet...she apparently thought she'd help it feel a little more useful and throw the remote INTO the toilet.  Nice.  Ethan started SCREAMING (like he'd lost an arm or something) so I rushed back into the bathroom and see them both staring into the bowl at the sunken remote...Ethan still screaming at the top of his lungs, and Olivia happily pointing and jabbering (in her own language) about the new water toy in our house.  Yeah...not one of our best moments!  I grabbed the remote out of the water...threw it into the sink and let it rinse off under the clean water.  I figured it was already ruined...but if there was any way of saving it...it was going to need to be disinfected a million times over, so why not start the process immediately!  

I just have to laugh about it...because it really was very funny.  Funny that these things only seem to happen 5 minutes after Steve leaves the house...funny that my kids can react to the same situation in such extremely different ways...funny that I don't get mad at these random disasters, but if my kids talk back or disobey (like any kid does a million times a day), that's when I feel the steam starting to escape through my ears...and funny that I knew, even then, that if this remote ever did make it through...it would be officially dubbed the pee (or pii)  remote by my children (and myself!).

So there you have it.  I did, through my mad-googling-do-it-yourself-repair-skills, manage to save the remote.  In case this happens to any of you (heaven forbid)...I took it apart as much as I could, which isn't much since nintendo uses some crazy screw that we don't tools for, and threw it into a bowl of rice (uncooked) and let it sit for about 24 hours.  We then had to shake some rice out of it, when all was said and done, but it managed to draw the moisture out enough for it to work again.  Then we had to disinfect it into its next life.  If the toilet didn't kill it...the million sprays of cleaner should have!  :)  But really, this remote is probably more germ free than the others sitting next to it!

So there you are...a look into the craziness that is our life!  How I love it!  

spying

Just now as I was tucking Garrett into bed...

Garrett - Hey Mom?  

Me - Yeah?

Garrett - I don't like it when you come up and check on me after I'm asleep.  Don't do it anymore, okay?

Me (totally confused) -  Huh?

Garrett - Just don't check on me anymore at night, okay?

Me - I don't get it...do I wake you up when I come in here?

Garrett - No.  It just feels like you're spying on me.

Now I'm going to lay in bed at night...wondering if my children are sleeping okay...if their covers are pulled up...if they're about to fall off the bed...if they just need one more kiss on the cheek???  All because my little ones are paranoid and think I spy on them!

Together Again...

We are home...all home...TOGETHER!!!  :)  I've been playing single mom for a while now and am LOVING being together again.  I'm not cut out to do this on my own!  :)   Steve's been out of town three out of the last four weeks, though I really can't complain.  Out of the last two years, he's only been gone those three little weeks.  

We've been busy and productive though.  Lots of park outings, bike rides around the block, and earlier bedtimes!!!  I'd much rather have him home...but I have to admit that it is very nice to have extra time to work on projects.  I got a few pictures hung, hosted a few girl's nights, cleaned out a few closets, sewed a bit, watched a girly show or two and knocked out a few of those things on my to-do list that I just never seem to make time for!  It was fun while it lasted...but I am MORE than happy to have Steve home again!  And I do have to admit...the kids are grateful too.  There were some days that the boys would pray for their daddy...and pray for him to get home QUICKLY!  :)  I think they were ready for another parent to be around...maybe one with a little more patience than an over-worked, tired and cranky mommy!  :)

just because

How I LOVE my little girl!  :)

And yes, the old saying is true...the camera does indeed add 10 pounds.  But add a shadow into that equation, and I swear it ups it to 50 pounds!  :)  Well that and the 45 cookies I ate tonight!  :)

Question and Answer

At dinner tonight, well actually 'Ethan's dinner' (since he takes HOURS longer than the rest of us to eat and as a result, ends up sitting at the table much longer than anyone else), the following conversation took place...


Steve - E, what's your favorite color?
Ethan - Blue and green.


Steve (pulling out some preschool questions) - What day of the week is it?
Ethan (thinking for a bit) - MONDAY!!!

Dani (wanting in on the fun) - E, what's your favorite food?

Ethan - Macaroni and Cheese

Steve - What month is it?
Ethan - Ummm......OCTOBER!  (really proud of himself for remembering!)


Dani (trying to be funny) - Ethan, who's your favorite Mommy?
Ethan (without a single, solitary pause) - TARA!!!


Well there you have it.  My kid's favorite mom is my good friend and mom to his best little buddy.  Nice.

Further Proof

What's that???  You didn't believe me?  How could pint-sized little sweet Olivia get into any trouble???  Isn't she too sweet and girly to attempt to do her own stunts???

Well, here's just one more example...(I'd show more, but honestly, how often is the camera right next to the action?!?  I just need to carry it around in my pocket...then I could document how many times a day this little one attempts a new trick!!!)

And don't judge me on the state of my itsy-bitsy pantry!  One day, I'll find a way to keep it organized!

defying death

Olivia has a great love of climbing and especially for our staircase...a LONG straight-shot staircase.  She is a very coordinated/precise little thing and has picked up the skill surprisingly fast.  For weeks on end though, I have spent a large part of my day sitting on the stairs as she climbed up and down, just waiting for that one time that she slipped and fell.  But, she never does.  Not even when she climbs up and sits on the top just bouncing up and down and laughing at me still sitting in the middle of the staircase.  Not even when when I would startle her (still sitting at her favorite perch at the tippy top of the stairs) as I was convinced she was on her way down, and was running up the stairs as fast as I could to grab her...usually hollering "STOP!!!" along the way too!  She just stares at me like I'm crazy when this happens!  :)  

So after weeks of the doing this...and hopping over the gates at the top and bottom of the stairs that we'd put up when I didn't have the time (or the mental patience) to sit and watch her defy death once again, I decided I needed to give her a chance.  So now, she is up and down the stairs all day long as much as she pleases, and I get a whole lot more done during the day!  It makes me so happy to see her growing and becoming so independent...only because she is still my cuddler and still always comes back for a hug and a pat on the back - for both me and her!  She almost always pats my back when I hug her and it MELTS my heart!!!

So now, we're about a week into her new-found freedom.  She still is on the stairs constantly, but she now LOVES to stop mid-way up and stand holding the rails as she peers through to see who she can spot down below.  She'll jabber away to them, happy as a clam to be up higher than everyone else.  But the past few days, I've noticed that she is combining this freedom with her other new skill of standing alone (meaning not holding on to ANYTHING!!!).  Talk about a heart stopper when you see your teeny tiny baby girl, standing completely unsupported on the stairs, giggling and holding her hands up as if to say "Look Mom, no hands!!!"   AAAHHHHH!  I am now back to my sitting on the stairs, everytime I hear her pause on her way up or down.  This girl is going to do me in!  :)

From Scratch...

I have to brag for just a second.  Reason one...because I actually accomplished something, from start to finish.  That doesn't happen a whole lot lately.  Reason two...because I made time to work on something and teach myself a few new tricks that I really wanted to learn.  Again, this doesn't happen too often as a mom!  And now that I sound totally selfish...I'll explain:

I built a bed!  I've been wanting to build a bed for about 3 years now.  I wanted to build one for Garrett, but then we got bunk beds.  I wanted to build one for Ethan...but then he moved into said bunk bed.  But we need a bed now...and not just the mattress and box springs on the metal frame, shoved against the wall.  I wanted the room to look more put together...so I built Ethan a bed.  Okay, enough bragging.  I could only do it for two reasons...I have a hubby who let me spend a weekend in the garage, and the amazing Ana at Knock-Off-Wood and her super easy and beautiful plans!  Thanks to the both of you!  :)

So here's the bed.

It's not perfect...but that's how I wanted it!

It's not built exactly to Ana's specs.  I changed it up a bit so I could slide food storage boxes underneath. Always looking for places to store that!  :)

AND, it doesn't match the abc's hanging above it...don't worry, I'll fix that soon!

I love it!  And I LOVED doing it!  And, I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED having a reason to use the new nail gun I got for my birthday and (still) hadn't tried out yet!  I really enjoyed having a project to work on all by myself...though I loved having Steve come help when I needed an extra set of hands!  We have so much fun doing things like this together!   Now, we just need a new project to work on...

Lunch Conversation

This is how lunch went today.

Garrett (already in a starvation-induced, crabby mood):  WHAT?!?!?!?

Ethan (in the same hungry state...but able to still focus on his main purpose which is bugging Garrett to no end...replies in the same tone...just louder!):  WHAT?!?!?!?!?

Garrett : AHHHHH!  WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME!!!

Ethan: How else am I dowing (going) to STARE?!?!?!?  I HAVE to yook (look) at you!!!!!!!!!!

I am so incredibly sad that the summer is coming to an end...but I think my boys could use some time apart.  :)

the moment...

As much as I never thought I'd say this...the past few days have been wonderful.  Physically they've been almost unbearable...but my heart is full, and that will have to carry me through until my body can once again catch up!  

I've had the chance to sit back (or lay back) and just watch and listen to my little ones.  I am grateful for these moments that make me truly appreciate what I have.

These are the sounds that have made me happy...

Scooting - Olivia is scooting all over the place.  It isn't an official crawl...more of the gimpy one-legged attempt that my children all seem to prefer.  It makes my heart almost burst as I hear her little hands slap the tile on the floor and then her one-footed/one-legged scoot rustling along behind her.  

Squeals and Laughter  - this sound comes from all of them.  Olivia squeals with delight when she manages to scoot fast enough to catch her brothers.  Ethan's laugh is everywhere...as he basically thinks he is the funniest thing on the planet!  He laughs all day long...at things around him that he finds hilarious and at himself, since he really is goofy!  Garrett's laugh is a little harder to elicit these days (he's getting too old and cool!), but when he and Ethan get together...the laughter never ends!

Copy-cat - Ethan is a self-proclaimed Mini-Garrett!  I ask E what color cup he wants and he responds "What color is Garrett having?"  I ask E what he wants for lunch and it's "What is Garrett having?"  He ADORES his big brother and wants to be just like him.  It is fun to listen to them play together and grow more like each other every day!

Helpers - Okay, not really a sound, but both boys are such big helpers right now.  They watch out for their little sister and are always ready to help her or move her out of a bad situation (or away from anything of theirs that she might destroy!).  Garrett has finally gained the confidence to pick her up and carry her around without being directed or shown how to do it.  He makes me so happy!  Ethan is always ready to make Olivia laugh with a crazy dance and silly noises...and always ends it all with kiss on her forehead!   Seriously melts your heart!

Sing-song - My boys love to sing...and can be found, more often than not, singing to themselves as they play.  I love to hear Ethan singing silly songs or primary songs as he does his puzzles or plays with cars.  Today, while in his own little world, entertained me while jumping on the couch singing at the top of his lungs about the 'Wise man and the foolish man...and their houses on the rocks and sand".  Garrett makes up some great songs as well and can always be found humming or singing along with something!

Chatterbox - All my children love to talk...and do so ALL DAY LONG!  Ethan is loving having Garrett home from school so he can have another person to talk to (and boss around, as is usually the case!)  Olivia is no exception either.  She chatters along with her brothers and chatters to herself.  If the boys are upstairs...she scoots over to the stairs and shouts up them in a long stream of chattering.  If they only knew that she was pleading for them to come down and play with her...or to bring her upstairs with them.  The toys upstairs are much more entertaining!   

Imagination - Ethan especially is all about the imagination right now.  Today at breakfast, he was showing me how his hands were racing each other to the bowl of cereal.  One hand didn't make it as fast and kept shouting for the other hand to "wait up!!!"

Daddy-time  -:  Steve took the day off of work yesterday so I could rest.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE hearing him interact with the kids.  They adore their dad and cherish every single second they get to spend with him.  I adored listening to their conversations all day and also the sounds of the washing machine start up, the vacuum cleaner running and other various 'usual mom' jobs getting done, all while I was laying in bed.  How wonderful it is to have a husband who can (and will) step in when help is needed!  I appreciate him more than I can ever express.

today's checklist...

- Go grocery shopping:  DONE!
- Do the laundry:  DONE!
- Lose a child in a store causing them to declare a "CODE YELLOW" over the PA system:  uh, yeah...did that too!


Don't worry...I found him...clinging nervously to the hand of a nice worker lady!

To Infinity and Beyond!

As the Mother to a household of talkers...I hear some pretty funny things every day.  Usually though, since I AM said mother and am still sporting a lovely 'mommy brain' that can't remember things for more than 30 seconds, these things just don't make it down in writing all that often.  Sad to admit, but that's just the way it is!  :)

Some of these conversations are usually between one of the kiddos and I...but lately E has entered that magical world where his toys have conversations between themselves (compliments of his amazing imagination!)  I LOVE to listen as the banter goes back and forth between his favorite toys - which at the moment consist of a bunch of Toy Story figurines.  Many times I hear the classic argument about 'Who exactly IS the real Buzz' - a total classic disagreement between two different Buzz Lightyears, straight from the movie.   It just makes me smile!

The conversation right now (yes, going on as I type...since I wouldn't remember this unless I was doing this in real-time!) is as follows (again, straight from the movie...just different characters in our made up version!):

Buzz - Watch this...I tan (can) fly!

Ham (the piggy bank) - No you tan not fly!

Buzz - Yes I tan!

Ham - No...you TAN NOT fly!

Buzz - Oh yeah...watch dis (this!)

Ham - No!  Dat's (that's) not flying.  Dat's falling!

Buzz - Nope.  I TAN fly!

A few minutes ago, this was what I heard between his two Buzz Lightyear figures.  They took their disagreements in a whole different, yet just as funny direction!  One Buzz has a helmet...the other doesn't...so of course, this how it went:

Buzz 1 - Do you like my helmet?

Buzz 2 - Dat's (That's) not helmet.

Buzz 1 - Yes it is!

Buzz 2 - No!  Dat's a HAT!

(And now enters some thinking from our current favorite book...Go Dog's Go)

Buzz 1 - Do you yike (like) my hat?

Buzz 2 - Yes I do!  What a hat!  I yike dat party hat!

And now, all our beloved characters are in the other room discussing who will be flying across a big mountain.  I've got to go see who makes this monumental leap.   Oh wait, I hear an 'Infinity and beyond' so I guess Buzz is already making the big leap...but wait...Woody is shouting that he is 'On his way, Buzz!' so I guess he's not too far behind!  If anyone wants to know how this one ends...call me and I'll fill you in.  Just make sure you call soon, otherwise I will never remember!

day 100

So, to recap the much anticipated big 100th day of school...

Garrett decorated a t-shirt with 100 googly eyes!  Did you know they made colored eyes???  My favorite part...he jingled a bit when he walked...soooo cute!  My other favorite part...Garrett loves the song "I always feel like somebody's watching me" from the Geico commercials and also from his PE class.  So, this song was sung more than a few times that day!

The first thing Garrett says to me as I pick him up that day from school..."Mom?  What super fun things do you have planned for today?"   Uhhhhh, how do I politely tell the kid that I hadn't planned a single thing!  100 days away from me isn't something I thought to celebrate...maybe I should celebrate the 100th day of summer break instead!  Needless to say, some quick improvisation was in store!

So this is what we made for dinner that night.  

 

Spaghetti with '100' meatballs and '100' breadsticks.  I threatened to give him 100 green beans to go along with it...but he decided that one scoop was enough!

So there you have it...a big day filled with hundreds of fun things!