Moments, Myths & Dreamsicles

2008:

2011-10-27T13:07:00.001-07:00

"Bath-time Bumpkin" - Eat your heart out

"Jailbird Baby"

P.S. - When Morgan looked at this photo as I was doing the Preview he pointed and said, "Let me out! Let me out! You got the wrong guy!" It's a quote from a movie - his godmother would be proud.

"Good Friends"

"The Leaning Tower of Cups"

"What?" - Bicentennial Park

"Riddle me this, riddle me that, whose afraid of the big black bat?" - Riddler

"Gushing Gals"

"Splish Splash in the Ditch"

"Papa Ron" surrounded by the four oldest (fishing trip at Lake Murray, OK)

"Just about right...."

Halloween 2008

Thanksgiving 2008

"Good Friends Still"

Amtrak at Ft. Worth - and "The Last of the Mohicans" Marathon

"Beautiful Girl" - Downtown Ft. Worth

"Santa in Training" - Christmas 2008

Christmas of 2008: "Yodeling Ghost"

Looking back at old photos and reminiscing a few of the good times from 2008, I always find myself surprisingly amazed by how little my kids were, compared to how big they are now, and sad at how fast it all goes.

Morgan & His Homework

2011-10-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

I'm scrubbing the tile in our shower and Morgan plops down on the floor with a pile of books, with his homework papers on top, and a pencil gripped in his hand. His first page is a partial dot-to-dot, which is George Washington's profile. I ask Morgan if he knows who it is?

"Umm..no." I tell him it's George Washington, the first President.

Morgan replies, "Oh! I know him, he's that guy that works."

"Works?" I ask.

"Yeah. He's that guy that's always at work. Helping people." Then Morgan is quiet for a moment and he asks, "Is he the guy that works at that laundry place." I have absolutely no idea what Morgan is talking about.

"You mean the laundry mat?" I ask, which we haven't been to since last winter when we were visiting/living in the cottage. Yes, that was what Morgan was talking about. Still don't see the connection because there wasn't anyone who worked at that laundry mat, and I haven't a clue what made Morgan think of it.

Caden piped in then and informed us that George Washington was honest and brave.

The next page is a profile of Abraham Lincoln. Again, I asked Morgan if he knew who it was, and then I told him. Morgan responded, "Oh, I was going to say that. Amberly Lincoln."

Leaves of a Different Color

2011-10-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

Autumn back in the midwest has been a great one. The vivacious colors of fall have captivated my awestruck wonder. The gorgeous colors that have surrounded us have been much enjoyed. The last few days have brought high winds and the color has greatly diminished as leaves have flown and swirled. The yard was covered in fun, crunchy leaves, but most of them are gone, probably submerged to the bottom of our pond.

The year 2011 has flown by in a crazy way, where you catch yourself wondering where the time has gone. A significant chunk of that time goes to just running a household, or for Brian juggling a career, and both of us slowly fixing up this house that is shaping up to be our home as we decorate to our liking, building new memories here, new stories, more tales of "Gus" the ghost who lives here. Or perhaps it really is "Casper," which is how Morgan refers to him, with unyielding certainty.

"Casper" has been guilty of many things - the other day he took the form of Tristen and ran Caden into a wall. Morgan freaks out EVERY time something happens that his four year old brain can't comprehend, which is daily, and he vocalizes his concerns: "Did you hear that?" "I wanna go home." "Don't you wish we were in Texas?" "What was that?" "That's freakin' me out!" "Oh my gosh!" These are the regular phrases that usually have his older brothers and Hal in stitches, with his big blue eyes and his dramatic voice and posture.

So I have come to embrace this ghost, who pees all over the toilet seat, leaves toys in the bathtub, glasses and cups all over the house and is the reason for many screams and taunts, usually at the expense of Caden and Morgan.

Halloween is around the corner. I don't think we've decided on costumes for sure, but there have been many discussions about it. We've been wanting to go visit family, and I think Brian is taking the kids to Indiana this weekend. After much hemming and hawing, I think I will stay here and try to wrap up some of these projects. I started laying the laminate in our bedroom. For months we've been walking on nasty, chalky particle board and my clothes are still in bags and cubicles. A normal, functioning closet will be bliss. Right now 1/3 or our room holds a large majority all of our belongings and I'm yearning for some organization. So, I think I'm going to stay behind to try to complete some of these projects, like the baseboard, some of the closet, the last window that needs painted and detailed (in the master bedroom anyhow) and at least a little more of the floor if possible.

Enjoy this beautiful fall, with the fresh air and brisk mornings, and evenings that continue to get darker earlier and earlier as nightfall creeps in. Crimson red, golden yellow and fiery orange treetops line the highways and country roads in a rustic rainbow that only autumn provides. Some warm sunny days, some cloudy days with a fierce coolness that requires a jacket, and maybe a hat as you enjoy fantastic time of year.

Third Rock From the Sun

2011-04-12T09:24:00.000-07:00

We might be sandwiched between Venus and Mars, but I don't feel like my feet have touched the ground. Life has been a whirlwind of chaos - a phenomenon of motion that my brain has been unable to keep up with. I made two recent trips to Texas for the last rounds of back and forth between our houses, neither of which was really home. One had most of our furniture and belongings, the other was shaping up to become our future home and housed us temporarily on air mattresses, with Vera Bradley bags lining the wall and a large tub of cold weather hats, scarfs and mittens packed to the rim. Big boots with melting snow sat on the rug inside the front door, and a kitchen floor full of buckets and cleaning supplies, garbage bags, paint trays, brushes, rollers, etc. with misc. tools scattered here and there.

On the last trip to Texas I did our final move. Tristen and Byryson stayed back in Indiana, while Halle, Caden and Morgan hung out with the cousins in Oklahoma. Cousin Bubba, (also known as Emily) accompanied me on this final trip. It was a blessing to have Em with me because she has a great sense of humor. She constantly had me laughing, which made it much less sad. We had great packers and movers, and Graebel's #1 Driver, but when it's all said and done and you're left with a shell of a home, it's a really lonely sight. No more comfy furniture to fill a room, no photos smiling from the walls and no laughter to fill the air. Nothing but the memories that get dredged up as you walk through each vacant room. So as with every other home I've left, the final walk through is a really sad one for me, with a sort of heaviness in your heart at this attachment to this house you've made a home. All hope is not gone of course, for a new adventure awaits not far off the shore of Lake Michigan. A home with plenty of the quirks and character that I so appreciate, with a big yard and the wildlife that we are all so fond of.

38 Days on the Market

2010-11-20T20:26:00.000-08:00

It was a typical Saturday morning. The kids were pretty good, with a hint of hostility and a dash of tartness here and there, but no knock down, drag outs or anything of the sort. Mid-day they noticed the white car sitting in front of the house. An hour or so later we get the call that someone wants to see our home. Ninety minutes later we are out the door.

We go to the store and look at Christmas decorations, and pick up a couple of things. The kids have fun perusing, everything from ornaments to Christmas dish towels to shower curtains. With the exception of Morgan they are very good. About mid-way thru his legs just won't work anymore. Typical. A while later we check out.

On our way home we pick up some ever so nutritious fat food. In the car the kids are having the usual chit chat. I hear bits and pieces, but block the majority out as I drive and listen to the radio.

Halle vocalizes her hope that Tristen doesn't dump our food all over the car (which he's done recently). Tristen gets defensive.

Tristen tells Bryson he ate all his fries, Bryson playfully pulls his hair or something of the sort.

Bryson asks Halle if she can give herself goosebumps, because he can think of creepy stuff and get goosebumps. Halle says, "Yeah."

Bryson asks how, and she responds that she gets goosebumps when she poops. Everybody looses it - a truck full of funny laughter. When it quiets down I hear her soft voice from the back state so brazen and simple, "Well I do."

Caden detests the movie Goosebumps (or maybe it's a mini-series). Either way, he hates the theme song. Morgan leans over in his car seat toward Caden, "Hey Caden," and whispers somewhat sing-songy, "Goosebumps." Caden shrieks.

To get even Caden yells, "E.T.!" who Morgan finds ever-so-disturbing, resulting in Morgan's infamous, irritating down to the marrow in your bones, blood curdling scream.

This continues with Gremlins, Signs, etc., etc. until we pull into the driveway.

I tell the kids to put on p.j.'s and wash their hands.

We pile into the Master Bedroom to eat on the floor to watch, "The Education of Little Tree," which is a really good family film. Morgan had zero interest so he pestered Halle and Caden the entire movie, but it was still enjoyable. We read a couple of books before bed, and then I tucked them in. It's been almost an hour and it's still not quiet. I did all the dishes, wiped down the counters, cleaned the splattered Microwave and vacuumed up all our crumbs just in case.

Last Sunday we got a call at 9 a.m. while EVERYONE was still sleeping. We had an hour and twenty minutes to get up, get dressed, spruce up the house and skedaddle. I even sat the kids clothes out tonight. It likely won't happen twice, but if that phone rings in the morning, we are prepared.

Pig In a Blanket

2010-11-17T11:57:00.000-08:00

When we were in Indiana getting ready for the long drive back to Texas I opened the back of the truck to find that Halle had so lovingly wrapped up her piggy in "blue blanky" and stuffed it into her purse that was a gift from Aunt Chandra. I laughed to myself and grabbed my camera.

As I'm posting: All five kids traipse in to see what I'm doing. Tristen reads the post out loud while Bryson laughs and Halle's eyes well with tears.

"Why?" she wants to know.

I explain to Halle what a pig in a blanket is and why I took the photo. The three oldest boys are laughing. She starts crying and says, "I left my pig at Grandma Karen's." She has tears streaming down her cheeks as she explains she had him in the car, but somehow left him behind. But now she's on my lap and absolutely sobbing.

And so I look at my boys, still smirking and snickering. Tristen says that "no" he didn't take it.

Bryson still laughing, "No, it wasn't me."

Halle's still crying.

"Tristen?" He's adamant that it wasn't him.

So I look to the right, where there stands a very quiet little boy, "Caden?"

His response is a simple, "Yeah."

All then he starts in with his excuse. He'd heard the boys talking about Halle's piggy and since sometimes she makes him mad, well....

He patted Halle's back while she cried and apologized.

But little Morgan was the most protective of all. The only brother who didn't laugh at her while she cried, and after everyone had cleared out of my room he came back and told me that Halle left her piggy. I sort of nodded my acknowledgement. He walks out and yells, "Hal, you're gettin' a new piggy."

Boo!

2010-11-14T13:00:00.000-08:00

Here are some photo's from Halloween:

Troy as a fearless Pittsburgh Steeler, Hayden as a pirate (think Smee), Caden all Commando, Halle as a pretty with pink Pirate, Tristen as Frankenstein (and like he was told, he played him well), Bryson as Michael Jackson (with the moves to match), then there's little Morgan there in the front - the cutest little Scarecrow you ever did see, Brantley is a bench warmer for the Pittsburgh Steelers (don't worry Brant, it's better than being the water boy) and then we had the famous and fabulous, Harry Potter (staggering resemblance to Hollitte, is he not?)

Maddie rocking her witch robe, sitting with Michael, Halle and Trent

Brant, look hard and you'll see Caden, Morgan and Smiley Smee

My crew with Uncle Trent

Told everyone: "I'm a scary crow."

Home Sweet Home....for now anyways

2010-11-13T20:56:00.000-08:00

So I made the drive to Indiana to pick up the kids and spent a couple of weeks there, visiting with family. Autumn in the midwest was great. All the big hardwoods, colorful leaves, scattered acorns and more.

"Familyar Field"

Grandma's chickens

"Glaring Rooster"

Halle pushing Caden & Morgan in the wheelbarrow

The kids and I drove up to Holland during a couple of our weekends home, camping at the state park and hanging out with Brian. It was absolutely beautiful up there in October. The kids had fun, especially Caden and Morgan. Morgan asks repeatedly when we're going camping again. And of course we visited Lake Michigan. The kids asked to get their feet wet...which was code for, "We're going wading in our clothes, in freezing water and we might fall in."

We have also found our new favorite pizza place - which is in Saugatuck. Saugatuck is just south of Holland - an artsy, quaint little town full of mom and pop shops that attract a significant number of tourists. I highly recommend a visit.

Pizza's real good mom!

Brian, Caden and Morgan peeking thru the window

mesmerized by the gory and authentic looking Halloween decor

Caden 9/19/10- "A stone's throw away"

The famous Red Lighthouse

Bryson, Morgan, Uncle Trent, Caden, Tritter, Halle -

before they got drenched

"Hello WORLD!"

"Waves of laughter"

Fun at the beach wrapped up with a beautiful sunset

Just thinking...

2010-10-03T21:31:00.000-07:00

The kiddos are in Indiana bonding with the extended family as I focus my energy on the finishing touches to get the house on the market. I'm painting, patching, caulking, packing, and lots of that detailed cleaning. Like the dust on baseboard and the cobwebs behind furniture. You know, fun stuff. It's been productive, but the house has a sort of eerie quiet to it that's nearly impossible to shake. It's nice I suppose....to a degree. But just so unusual that it actually seems unnatural, if that makes sense. I think about the kids numerous times a day and wonder how they're doing and if they're having fun, which I'm sure they are. I miss their little voices, the laughter, just the presence of all seven of us together in the evening. And I miss the dogs, who are at my parents.

And Brian's in Michigan and Monday is his first day on the new job. Good luck hon! I'm sure you'll do great. Hopefully the house sells quickly and we can all head up to MI and start getting settled in up there. Preferably before winter, that would be so great.

Friends, do you know how much I loathe the process of moving? I curse in my head every....step....of....the....way. It's so much annoying work.

Yes. It's late, I'm tired, my legs hurt, my eyes burn, I'm venting here. But I hope we're done moving. We like Michigan and all it has to offer, and it's close to family. So, providing Brian has a job, we'll stay. I tease him that we'll be looking for our "Forever Home." He teases me back that we'll stay at least five years but I don't think his response is the least bit funny. My sense of humor waivers significantly on sensitive issues. Moving has become a sensitive issue.

'Nite all

Holland, MI

2010-10-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

So, I believe the news has probably trickled down the lines of communication to the few folks who read my blog. Our lives are once again changing directions and we find ourselves looking forward to a new adventure. It requires the uneasy sacrifice of leaving the familiarity of an area we've come to know, with it's friendly people and big, wide open spaces, and traffic...lots and lots of traffic.

Hazy Morning

Texans endure hot summers but mild sunny winters. In the spring we face abrupt thunderstorms, sometimes with tornado warnings and a drawn out autumn that provides the luxury of open windows with a wonderful, cool breeze blowing through. We also have fields of wildflowers in the spring that display a vibrant rainbow of color that could only be painted by God himself. And tall sunflowers line the roads - and sometimes you'll see an entire field of happy, vivacious yellow screaming for your attention as you drive to and from in your chaotic life. For the boys there are spiders and snakes galore, even black widows. But the kids can identify them and even the little ones know enough to always look under the lawn chairs and tonka trucks.

Texas Garter Snake

Dueling Rainbows

The city of Ft. Worth can be seen in the distance horizon, and I always enjoy that sight as I take a right onto our road. Cows graze and numerous horses to boot....sometimes in the most unexpected places. Gorgeous sunsets every night, that somehow have a different look than the other places we've lived, but yet still provides the same soothing sight.

Sunsets

The children will miss Jiu Jitsu, and their friends. We will miss our dear friends the Schwedler's, and our nice neighbors. And of course there's Keno - a group of women who get together once a month for an eventful game of Po-Ke-No, a night full of girl talk and non-stop laughter, a witty group of girls who have become my friends.

We have spent the last several weeks packing up. Extra clothing, blankets, coats, shoes, towels...down to the minimal. Almost empty closets, an empty garage....clearing, cleaning, donating, decluttering....making way for the next occupants. Some other family will take our place and make their home here, with their own happy memories. It's a sad thing to pack up a home. A home where you painted the walls, brought home a new baby, planted a garden, and endured the ups and downs of life...the laughs, the tears, the tantrums and everything in between. Purple paint in carpet and a cut forehead from the Austin stone fireplace. I'm finding fiddlesticks in every nook and cranny in my home. (They are old wooden building toys for those who are unfamiliar.) The wall off the kitchen that holds a growth chart of our children which I have to bring myself to paint over. I'm painting over scuffs on baseboards and fingerprints on doors. I carefully remove family photos off walls and stare down at children that aren't so young anymore and I'm grateful for that one captured moment in time. For as excited as I am to be back in the midwest, close to family, close to Lake Michigan - there is a sadness to the ending of this chapter in my life.

Sprouting Seedlings

Dirty County Bumpkin

Not so precious moment:

2010-08-21T13:09:00.000-07:00

Thursday morning I'm sitting in the recliner sifting through papers, Halle's on the couch doing math, Caden, Tristen and Bryson scattered on the living room floor doing homework. Everyone is fairly quiet, I have to tell Bryson to quit singing and Caden to quit staring at the ceiling about every 30 seconds, but all in all a productive morning.

Morgan walks in, barely awake, his wild curls sticking out in every which way. He's standing in the middle of the room, sort of in a daze and begins to pick his nose. Tritter vocalizes his disgust. Morgan looks at him, then dashes toward him, booger on finger like he's going to wipe it on him. Tristen screams defensively while the other three laugh, then Morgan lunges at Halle, Bryson and Caden, pointer finger outstretched, getting close enough that each child screams in protest while the other three siblings who don't have a booger in their face laugh. Then he goes around once more to each kid. And I think he lunged toward Tristen an extra time for good measure, all the while enjoying being the center of attention. Then he stands still, back in the middle of the room, all eyes on him and he opens his mouth as wide as he possibly can and inserts finger in mouth like he's going to eat the booger. By now the other four children are laughing absolutely hysterically. Then, just like that, Morgan pulls his finger out of his mouth (booger still intact) and runs to the bathroom. He returns a few minutes later and shows me the booger is gone and tells me he washed his hands, and as with every time he washes his hands he says, "Smell 'em Mama."

Although quite disgusting, and not an "oh so proud" mothering moment, it was quite humorous to watch. And the sound of my kids laughing does have a sort of musical ring to my ears.

Popo Agie Falls

2010-06-17T16:29:00.000-07:00

We had some winds Sunday night and our thin blood was adjusting to the cooler temps of the north, but we slept well. Monday morning we were deciding what to do, we didn't have to drive anywhere and we had all this newfound, unfamiliar freedom?! A hike of course, but which one? After talking to the hosts of the tiny campground we decided to go up to the falls. We were told we could take our suits and slide down like the local kids did if we wanted, but were forewarned that it takes the EMT's awhile to get up there should someone get hurt.

So we got our water and our backpacks and took off in the direction of the falls. We take backpacks because I've read numerous articles and a few books on backpacking, hiking, SAR's, etc., and I've read enough to know I would much prefer to be safe than sorry. But hiking in the altitude, with a pack was an unnecessary reminder of the ahem...pounds that I've gained and that my body just ain't what it used to be, my ticker included. But it was a very pretty, enjoyable hike. Brian jumped at the first snake. I snickered. I jumped at the second snake. That's Karma. I stopped along the way and took photos here & there. We also saw lots of new moms hiking with their tiny newborns, which was impressive.

Big Rock

The falls were pretty big and it was a good resting point. We looked and looked and did not see even one place that looked even remotely sane to slide down. Maybe we would have had to go further up? There were several trails that led off. I followed one of them up a ways and came to a remote opening that was full of large, unfamiliar animal droppings. I left.

This was the valley between Sinks Canyon and the small, quaint town Lander. It was very gorgeous & green, with the mountains as a backdrop. The photo hardly does it justice, but it gives you an idea.

By the end of the five mile hike I was tired. But it was the happy, dead on your feet tired. So I sat at the picnic table listening to the soothing sound of the lake while I threw together our big, yummy 7-Layer salad.

The Great Wide Open

2010-06-16T06:33:00.000-07:00

Chandra arrived Friday, May 28th. She came as my sister of course, but was childless, and came for all intended purposes to child-sit and be the fun, cool aunt who takes the kids to the pool every day and plays lots of Mario and Blokus, and to eat ice cream, drum sticks and sweets. Thanks so much! And thanks Nate for driving all the way to the Hoosier state solo.

Brian and I took a break from work, chaos & kids and headed north & west. We drove up through Amarillo and the many, flat endless miles 287 entails. I do enjoy watching the wind turbines along the route though. (Pic below was taken Sept. 2007 when Morgan & I made a trip to Colorado. He was 6 months old and didn't fuss the entire 14 hours, and we only made one stop, which was long. For those who are unsure, it's rather exceptional for a nursing baby at that age.)

The Saturday we left was a very hot, smoldering Texas day and one of our Trailer tires (pop-up) peeled right off. It wasn't long at all and Brian got the spare on. I did have to stand along the road in my neon green shirt and wave all the thoughtless morons over. Keep in mind this was the flat stretch of nothing but fields, highway and blue sky with absolutely no oncoming traffic.

We stayed Saturday night at Brian & Keely's & got to see Samuel, his friend Justin, and Poe. Slept great and enjoyed a good breakfast of cake, fresh fruit, eggs n' veggies and Sam's Elk sausage - relaxing and visiting before hitting the road late morning. I also cherished what I knew would be on of my few showers on the trip.

Sunday we took our time, taking in the different scenery. Those who know Brian are familiar with his hyper side. (...the man can't sit still) But he relaxed more than I've ever seen on this trip which was nice for both of us. Anyway, we drove through Cheyenne & thought it was a pretty and clean city, at least what we saw. Wyoming's scenery constantly changes - ever few miles there's something different to photograph.

On we continued through Wyoming to our first campground which was Sinks Canyon. The sinks are where the water mysteriously disappears into the rocky mountainside, and then shoots out someplace else. It's a tiny campground at the edge of Shoshone Nat'l. Forest/Bridger-Teton National Forest, with a very pretty composition of the Rocky Mountains, cliffs that the rock climbers love, lush valley and enough sagebrush that you're constantly reminded to watch for rattlers. Our site was at the base of the mountains, with a gushing river and great mountain views. It was a great beginning to an awesome trip.

Withrow Spring, Arkansas: Spring Break

2010-05-26T23:17:00.000-07:00

Friday, March 19th - Saturday, March 27th, 2010

So, I'm a little behind the eight ball here, but, well, it happens. You've heard the expression, "Better late than never," right? Well, I tend to sort of wallow in that mentality. My intentions are always there, I just tend to roll through life sort of turtle-like (as my family will attest). I see this as a positive attribute....others may not share that sentiment. Anyhow, these are the photos from our Spring Break, where we met up with Chandra's clan and Grandpa & Grandma, as well us Uncle Trent & cousin Conner.

We knew going in we may have some unfavorable weather. Well, the two inches they were calling for turned into 8"-9" or so. And then there was the rain. And more rain. And then a little more rain. And then Friday was gorgeous! (uhh yeah, as in the following Friday...the day before we pulled out.) But hey, that's okay, it was an enjoyable trip even with all that, one we will always remember. It was a bit more work but I genuinely enjoyed the majority of it. (Okay, yes, I had a couple of maddening moments where I seriously questioned my mental health. Brian couldn't make the trip, so I was there with 5 kids in very cold temps and lots of dripping, soaking wet clothes, shoes, hats, gloves, socks and jackets.)

(As usual, you will see the detail better if you click on the photos)

The Campground looked beautiful covered in the unexpected snowfall

"Spring Wonder"

Portable DVD players entertained the little ones

"I just want my mom..."

"Drying Out"

Only Bryson could actually sit a pair of boots

to dry directly under where the snow on the

camper would later run-off. The ten inches of

snow melting on top had to go somewhere.

"Pals"

The whole (under-aged) crew

My kids with Grandpa & Grandma

Morning sun peaking through our campsite

Grandpa helping Bryson up?

"Misty Mirror"

Small falls along the side of the road

I am unaware precisely which impersonation this would be.

Now it's Caden's turn to stand in the hollowed-out tree stump

Before we hiked the ledge along the rocky riverbank

"You're playing with the big boys now...."

2010-05-24T16:28:00.000-07:00

The heading is actually a song my kids frequently sing. I don't know where it came from, whether they heard it somewhere, or made it up, or someone else made it up and they just sing it. It's only one line long, but they sing it. It's actually sort of catchy.... I've sang it, and I can't sing. Anyhow, this is Morgan dressed up the other morning, playing with the big boys. I would just like to say he did this completely on his own. Who else would put on cords in this heat? I saw him scampering out of this house just like this, the old stained up shirt that was worn by his three older brothers, with a big tortoise on the back, facing me as Morgan ran out the door as fast as his boots would take him.

The game was Nerf War....which Morgan missed....he saw guns and got dressed up and ready to go, ever so enthusiastically. Little peanut Morgan hasn't quite grown into 2T pants yet so they're hanging about mid-bum. Personally, I think the rain boots are a great touch.

(clicking on the photos will show you his expressions)

p.s. - Tristen informed me "You're playing with the big boys now..." is an excerpt from the movie "The Prince of Egypt." It was a thing between Trent, Tristen & Bryson.

Meet Hudson

2010-05-20T09:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the ornery golden who showed up at our door. He's pretty good, he will now go in a crate but doesn't know how to walk on a leash and jumps around a lot.

"I spealed milk! I SPEALED MILK!"

2010-05-14T20:15:00.000-07:00

Morgan spilled milk. This was yesterday. I yelled back for him to clean it up. He said, "It's a lot!" and I heard a drawer open. And I heard Caden enter the kitchen a minute later and tell him he was doing a good job. I never saw any mess of it later so I guess he did alright cleaning up after himself.

Life has kept us hopping. We've been on a couple of camping trips which were great fun. Brian, Tristen, Bryson and Caden met Grandpa Butch (or Gamma Butch as Morgan calls him) and Grandma Sue for another fishing trip in Oklahoma. They all had a great time, and Rookie Caden did awesome. He even outfished his older brothers.

The kids have Jiu Jitsu four times a week and they enjoy it a lot. We've got a tournament coming up at the end of the month which they are both excited and nervous for. And the kids have been doing really well on their homework. Halle has a tendency to lag...gotta keep a close eye on her. But she does keep the cleanest bedroom which does compensate in my mind. So, for the most part I keep pretty patient as I push her along. And she smirks her guilty little smirk at me as she pulls out a book and continues on.

Our garden is looking good. Planted some peppers and tomatoes last week because for some reason our seeds didn't come up this year. Cantaloupe looks great, so does the watermelon. Lettuce is up, so are the carrots. Murphy has ate ALL of my strawberries, and Hudson probably had a few too. And they tore up some of our cauliflower and smashed my zucchini. Okay, so aside from those little fiascos the garden looks pretty good.

Ah yes, Hudson. For those who don't know he is a Golden Retriever pup who showed up at our house a few weeks ago. I think it was around April 20th. He was very thin and I pulled over seventy, yes, 70 ticks off of him. No collar, no I.D., no lost ads that I could find, no response to my found ad. So we have ourselves a golden. He is very sweet and good natured. Lots of puppy energy, but good. He keeps Murphy company, and keeps him off his lazy butt. I try to keep him in the back yard because he's sprayed his urine a few times too many in the house. After we get him neutered he shouldn't feel the need to spread his scent here, there and everywhere. The Vet thinks he's been on his own a long time and thought we should let him adapt for a month or so before we neutered him. She figured it'd be good for him to learn the concept of home and family. Well, tick-tock the clock is ticking...time's just about up.

On another, similar note, I think Tristen has willed this lost dog into our lives. I've wanted a Newf for several years now, and we were planning on getting one this summer. Tristen's been asking for a Golden Retriever for quite some time, but I kept telling him no because I was getting my puppy. He wins. I'll wait on my Newf.

Anyways...my overall point of this post is that we keep busy. I try not to be too busy, I mean I homeschool and we're total homebodies, but I guess a family of seven plus two dogs just sort of has it's own kind of crazy chaos to it. That's alright. I try to enjoy the days, because it hasn't escaped my attention the speed at which it has all flown by. So I grin thru gritted teeth and try my best to bear the fact that there simply are not enough hours in a day to get done everything I should like to.

So cheers to everyone, all my friends and family. I think of you all more than you probably know, and hope that all is going well in your own busy lives.

Caden's Hair Cut

2010-04-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

Caden has been needing a hair cut for a while. I always dread it because the long, wild hair seems to suit him and the mom in me thinks shorter hair makes him look older. Naturally I just as soon he stay little. So he's in my tub enduring my best attempt to keep his cut even and hopefully it's not too obvious it's a homemade, "my-mom-did-it!" haircut. So he's wiggling, fiddling, standing on one leg, hiking one leg on the side of the tub, itching at his back...pretty much everything but sitting still.

I said, "Caden! Hold your horses! Can't you just sit still? Don't you have any horses left?"

He sighs and replies with a quiet, drawn out "No."

I smile a little smile and ask where all the horses went.

Caden's impatient, straight faced reply, "They went out in the road and got hit by a car."

Texas Snow Storm

2010-02-25T17:16:00.000-08:00

We had a shocking snowfall February 11-12th. I heard Thursday evening that it was the most snowfall since 1979, but it continued snowing late into the night. Later I heard it was a record, but didn't confirm it. It was beautiful and I took lots of photos.

Life goes on....

2010-02-24T21:38:00.000-08:00

Hello all. It's been a bit. Life has a way of getting hairy at times. We've been busy. Started painting our bedroom, read 5 novels in about one week (four of which were the Twilight Saga)...which didn't leave much time for other, more pressing but much less fun tasks. We had a nice visit from the in-laws, and a recent visit from Chandra & her boys which was a lot of fun, Brian had Lasik eye surgery...and then there's just life in general.

Here's a sample of some recent moments:

- I'm bathing and I hear this loud banging on my bedroom door. I listen to Caden's "MOM! MOM!" on the other side. I can tell he's not hurt, he's not crying, but it's very desperate. "MOM!" Giggles...followed up with soft, unintelligible words that could only be spoken by Morgan. So I figure it doesn't qualify as me having to wrap up in a towel and drip across my bedroom. Then, "MOM! Morgan has a booger!"

- Our oldest three children playing with a balloon long past bedtime...hitting it back and forth in between their bedroom doors. Like I didn't notice the loud "thunk" every time a hand met with the big hallow beast and the bright blue sphere sailing back and forth in the hallway.

- I'm driving and look in my rearview mirror to see Morgan asleep and a pair of black Mr. Potato Head glasses perched on his nose. A little later I get Caden's rendition of "Hound Dog."

- Grandpa Butch offers to take Morgan to the bathroom and even volunteers to assist in the wiping of the hiney if necessary. Morgan decides he doesn't have to go after all. Grandpa says, "Okay. But you know who to call if you change you mind?"
Little voice replies, "Ghostbusters."
Naturally.

- Nothing like a late night chunky vomit in the top bunk as an utmost, rude awakening to one of the uglier, more odoriferous sides of parenting.

*Note to parents: rinse the sheet carefully in the kitchen sink...the side with the garbage disposal. Much better than cleaning the mess out of the washer later. Then, very thoroughly disinfect the sink & surrounding areas. I mean, I'm pretty sure most parents would know to disinfect...but wonder's never cease.

**p.s.- (To Chandra) As I was rinsing chunks into my sink with a lame attempt to not really "see" what was falling against the stainless steel I couldn't help but think of you. For a moment I panicked my poor disposal wasn't up for the task. I need to remind Caden to chew his food.

Guess who?

2010-02-08T03:36:00.000-08:00

(For those who already know....shhhh.)

As most of you know, all of my kids are very creative & imaginative. Caden is no exception. He was THRILLED about getting a bow-tie from Grandma Karen (it had been on his wish list for a while.) One day he asked to use one of my little red glasses. It was an unusual request, but I granted him permission. He was dressed up, which isn't an unusual thing in our household. There was no talking, I just happened to be sitting across the table from him and my camera was handy. All of the sudden he just started acting.

The following is a re-enactment of what character, from what movie:

"Does whatever a spider can"

2010-02-04T12:14:00.000-08:00

Morgan's challenge to sleep in his own bed seems to be progressing fairly well. Although, Dad climbs in bed with him periodically....so it's a little hard to tell. I'm not sure if this is Dad's way of coping with the withdrawal or if it's just easier than listening to the crying. We've had to shut the door and endure the "DA DA! DA DA! Pease DA DA, I scarwed!" We've also had several talks about turning the big "3" and being a big boy. This has actually been quite effective. For example, shortly after Brian leaves Morgan's bed early this morning for the comfort of his own bed, Morgan comes storming out, screaming at the top of his lungs and throws himself on the kitchen floor. I tell him to go to bed or I'll shut him in. Silence. For a few seconds. Then more high pitched screams that makes you feel bad for the neighbors. I come out and scoop him up off the cold tile. He gets calm and as we near the hallway I tell him in a quiet voice how rude he's being to his siblings who are sleeping. Three grumpy voices chime in to say they, in fact, are not sleeping. As I'm laying him in bed I ask Morgan if he's going to be a big boy. He looks so adorable and there are tears streaming down his cheeks and his bottom lip quivers and he says, "Birtday cake n' ice ceam." We have a short chat on being a big boy and sleeping in his own bed. His eyes are so heavy they flutter as he tries to keep them open. I tell him he's doing good and kiss him goodnight. That was it.

First thing this morning he says at the side of my bed in his cute, excited voice, quite matter-of-factly, "Birtday powdee. Birtday powdee." Yes, a birthday party coming up soon. And I pull back the covers to let him climb in and I catch an awful stench hitting my nostrils and quickly add that the potty training is still part of the deal to turning three.

So we put on, lets see, today he's wearing WALL-E undies, and we go through the routine of not peeing on _________. He seems to be getting it because I've noticed just the last few days he'll walk around the house and I'll hear his small voice chanting this to himself. And yesterday in the truck as we're driving to Jiu Jitsi he says, what sounded like, "Mom, I not be cowboy." I'm driving, paying partial attention..."uh-huh." But then it occurred to me this didn't make any sense, he loves cowboys. They're right up there with Jones, Batman & Superman. Then he repeats himself of course and I realize it's, "I not pee on Kedible." (Yesterday was Mr. Incredible undies) And no, Morgan did not pee on him.

Here's a pair of undies in action as they play their dual roll: mask. I asked Morgan if he was Superman, also known as "Supemaan," and he said, "No. I Spidowmaan." Here he is, in his favorite hiding place.

(clicking on the picture gives you a better view)
"Spins a web, any size"

A Sample of My Life:

2010-02-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

A miserable night of sleep for Mom & Dad leave Morgan on the "it List"....as in, "This is IT! I've had it." (It is also synonymous with the 'other' list that may come to some of your minds.) I do think it was the straw that broke the camel's back - finally! It was one of those nights where you were awake more than asleep. So Morgan is being sentenced to sleeping all night in his own bed. Hopefully after a handful of nights of temper tantrums he'll succumb to growing up & will realize his nights in Mom & Dad's bed have come to an end. Wish him luck, it'll be a rough week for the guy....and I think it'll be pretty hard for Morgan too.

Brian is sitting at the table while Tristen, Bryson & Halle work on their homework and I hear hearty laughter and jokes about uni-brows. Hal's in particular...poor girl. She is still wishing very hard for a sister, as Keely can attest to.

Speaking of Keel, last week her & Uncle Brian were here for a visit which was really enjoyable. We had a fun time - lots of laughs. They got in late Friday night and we sat at the table and chit-chatted for a while before turning in. Saturday morning they went with the kids to Jui Jitsu, and we hung out in the afternoon, playing games. Sunday was a nice day and we decided to go on a hike. Keely & Brian watched the chaos of seven people around them scurrying around to do the work entailed to get five kids ready for a hike. I mean it seems simple enough, but just imagine:

"Caden, get your shoes on." "Hats! You guys need hats." "I don't want to wear a hat." "Do you guys have your water bottles?" "Where's the Ergo carrier for Morgan." "Mom, will you tie my boots?" "Caden, get your shoes on." "Why do I have to wear a hat." "Get a sweatshirt for Morgan." "But Mom it's not that cold out." "CADEN! Get your shoes on!" "Amber, Amber! Where's Mom?" as I'm upstairs getting hats. "Go to the bathroom." "Tristen's not wearing a hat." It's a small sample, but ugh...it's tiring just typing it...I can't imagine having to be an innocent bystander on the sidelines witnessing this craziness.

Keely did lots of dishes (Brian helped) and they got to see how big the kids have gotten...all except Morgan who will be three in about 4 weeks but is still wearing 18 month pants and 24 month tops. She laughed hard at Caden & Morgan's obnoxious, rowdy behavior. The way they nit-pick and pester each other constantly and the unique dynamics of their relationship... perhaps on some level it was so familiar to her. That sort of bond where you are wound so tight nothing is uncalled for, there's no "out of bounds"...(think Keely, Chandra, Sam here....) The type of bond where once one them started laughing there was nothing you could do to stop it...the sick, twisted sense of humor was just ALWAYS there! The laughing so hard the potato soup comes right back up...right back in the soup bowl. Some things are just the way are - not to be messed with or questioned because who but the wisest of men would ever know the true answer. So I usually watch from a distance with a puzzled look on my face and shake my head because I tire of yelling and I'm exasperated.

WEDNESDAY

So Wednesday was a sort of a quiet yet typical day. The kids were being really good and all the sudden around 2 pm the electricity goes out. I'm so annoyed. The last time this happened (which was for no apparent reason, the electrical surge blew 2 of our thermostats) and during a wicked storm last summer some lighting knocked out a compressor on one of our A/C units. So I call my friend (who happens to be a neighbor) to see if their electricity is out. Interestingly enough it is not. You know how you have that nagging feeling that goes from psst... to "HELLO!" I find myself scrambling out to my desk. Low and behold...there on top on my photo printer is my electric bill. Check written, postage on envelope...all ready to be mailed. I wonder to myself how the heck this never made it out with all the other bills that I had paid several weeks ago...and I remember. There was a coloring contest. I was waiting for Bryson to finish coloring the picture. So I grab my checkbook and a new bill that had come the day before and I suck it up. Talk about embarrassing. I mean good grief! So I drive there and walk in to pay my bill. Hand her a sealed, stamped envelope that contains the already paid, but never sent bill. She smiled sympathetically and said, "I'm so sorry!" It was my own darn fault. They were very nice and with in a couple of hours our electricity was restored. Lesson learned.

THURSDAY

Decide to run to TARGET for a few groceries and misc. items. Give Tristen, Bryson and Halle instructions on what to read while I'm gone and take Caden & Morgan with me, under the delusion it'll be an easy trip because I only have two kids instead of five. Chandra found this particularly fascinating and wondered why I thought having even two would make a trip easy..."especially those two?" she wondered aloud over the other end of my cell phone as I expressed my careless thoughts with her. I hang up and continue to push the cart. I watch them. Morgan has a Buzz Lightyear, Caden has a Buzz, and Woody is dangling upside down by the spurs of his cowboy boots. I hear "AHHH!!" and swooshing sounds as Buzz flies through the air along with the sound effects of punches being thrown, filled in with laughs and giggles and Morgan's "Buzz!" "Woody!" It's not that they're being bad so much that they are lost in their world of make believe and are oblivious to that fact we are in public and there are people all around us. Then Morgan's decides to announce, "I farrted. Mom I farrted." A lady just a few feet away politely pretends she doesn't hear. "Just say excuse me Morgan." "Scuse me Mom." We finally finish and head to the check out. They both have tired of playing with Buzz & Woody by the time we entered the check out lane. This leaves them to tease and taunt each other. Caden was very helpful and loaded everything he could onto the checkout belt but when that task was complete he joined Morgan in horseplay. We're almost done and most of our purchases are loaded in the cart when likely half the store hears something between a squeal and a yell. Of course it's my kids - I look down at the end of the lane to see Caden standing there squirming with one of his fingers clenched in Morgan's teeth. I rush down. Caden is panting and Morgan is laughing. Caden has wicked purple teeth marks on his finger and he's gasping for little breaths. My scolding runs off Morgan's back as he sits there and grins. It's like he know's I can't spank him in public or something. I go back to pay after telling Caden to keep all finger's away from Morgan's teeth. Yes, this is another strange game these two play. Caden likes to see how close he can get his finger's to Morgan's mouth without getting bit. Don't ask...I don't know...I'm only their mother and I rarely see any of my DNA in either of them. So as I pay the nice girl behind the counter I hear Caden's laughter and look down to see Morgan's little body laying out in the front of the cart like someone basking in a hammock. I'm so glad that we are finished. By time we reach the parking lot both boys are laughing hysterically and I don't even know why. But it's funny, and I laugh.

My children & their antics:

2010-01-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

It's a really gorgeous day here. It must be in the 70's, it's bright and sunny and you can hear the excited chatter of birds. The window's are all open and there is an awesome fresh breeze blowing the winter staleness out of the house. These are the days when Texas weather is much appreciated. So I'm cleaning, running the vacuum ect., and I'm watching the antics of my children, and thinking about some of the funny (or at times, not-so-funny) childhood moments I've witnessed in the last 2-3 days.

-We buy toilet paper in bulk, you know, the 20-24 packs. So I buy some on sale and restock the cabinet. Less then two minutes later Caden (aka Trouble) climbs in the large, empty bag and starts hopping around the living room like he's in a potato sack race. He even whooped and hollered and had the expression of strained competition on his face for good measure.

-I don't believe Bryson (B) can ask a question without some form of humor, flattery, drama, or all of the above. This includes flexing muscles, smootching the air and saying, "What can I say? Chicks dig me?" for the sole purpose of driving Tristen absolutely crazy. Today he acted faint & weak in the kitchen, insisting that a Pepsi would probably give him just the lift he needed. Try again.

A couple of hours later it was a charade for me to guess what he wanted. Think: "three," "little," and then him chomping away going, "gobble, gobble, gobble."

-Morgan was in my bathtub yesterday afternoon and I was folding towels on my bed. He asked for Buzz & Woody (Toy Story characters that he's fascinated with) and I told him I'd get them as soon as I was done. "Okay" by him. So I finish folding the towels and go into the bathroom to put them away. There he is, wiping his lips trying to hide the evidence of what he'd done. But some blood smeared over his tummy and all over his hand was a dead give-away. Morgan found out that mommy's razor is much sharper than his little plastic one that he & his brothers use to wipe the cool foam off of their faces. He did not cry. We wiped the blood away with a wash clothe and I checked out the damage - he had a nick on his top & bottom lip. I grabbed a little mirror and showed him his owie, and explained razors = injury. His response was a simple, "Oh."

-Halle is a nicely balanced girl. She loves horses, playing barbie & other make believe, but can get just as dirty and disgusting as any boy. She wears socks outside with no shoes and says, "I forgot," and I sigh when I'm folding her & Bryson's new socks with big 'ole holes in the heel. But she is still a girl and she loves shiny, sparkly, pretty things. On Wednesday she was waiting for me to braid her hair and I see her peeking in my jewelry box. She smiles, carefully lifts something and tells me I have an item similar to Gramma Sue's and she knows because she's organized Gramma's jewelry box twice! Halle, Halle!

-I head upstairs for something to see four boys fighting with toy swords made out of fiddle sticks, slaying each other and fainting from the wicked, vicious wounds. And then Morgan turns his sword on me. So, since I'm bigger & tougher I steal the sword and get him good.
A bit later it sounds like the sword fighting has turned into Harry Potter dueling as the sound of curses being yelled back & forth reverberates off my walls. (Swords made from fiddle sticks are very easily transformed into wands.)

-Morgan climbs in with Mom & Dad most nights. So two nights ago he climbs in, gets settled and then tells Dad he needs his sippy cup. (Hear the whip?) Dad obliges and scrambles across the house, in the dark. Returns to bed and hands it to Morgan. Dad lays down and Morgan guzzles some water. "Here you go." Hands the sippy back to Dad to lay on the floor beside the bed. (Morgan is very particular about this.) Morgan lays down, getting himself nice and comfy and a moment later Morgan says, "Woody's hat." Brian states firmly he is not finding Woody's hat and to go to sleep. (Mom wonders to herself "hmmm?" because she know's Morgan has daddy wrapped tighter around his finger than even Mom.) Morgan sits up in bed. Dad says, "LAY DOWN!" A moment passes...Morgan knows there's a line so he's treading carefully, he responds quietly, "no." Dad says, "Morgan, LAY DOWN." Another quiet but firm, "no." I hear the covers get thrown back and Dad grumbling about how ridiculous this is as he goes off into a dark house on a wild goose chase for Woody's hat. After searching three bedrooms he returns to our bed to find it was in fact only inches from Morgan.

For the York Children

2010-01-18T11:10:00.000-08:00

I actually wrote this in 2008 for my goddaughter and her siblings, who are all very sweet & genuine children. I went to school with their parents who are good friends of mine, and have done a terrific job raising, teaching and guiding their kids.

The intention was to put it into a book, which I intend to do...someday...one of these years...when things slow down....

Lily Rose

Never has there been a flower

as fair as Lily Rose

Whom in all her gentle sweetness,

around a garden grows

Surrounded in this beauty

by shrubs, flowers, bushes, trees -

singing birds and crawling bugs

and wondrous creatures such as these

But her favorite is the little

busy, buzzing Catherine Bee

Who takes the nectar from the flowers;

oh-so-merrily

She flies around the garden

with a smile on her face,

then a wink and off she goes

disappeared without a trace

Lily sways within her garden,

it's sweet fragrance she inhales

As the Meghan Bird takes flight

and across the garden sails

Over lakes and streams and mountains

not a worry or a care,

having many grand adventures

as she journeys through the air

But as the day comes to an end

and the sun begins to set,

Meghan Bird returns for night

free of stresses or regrets

She wiggles and gets comfy -

cozy, snuggled in her nest,

While Catherine Bee relaxes,

sleepily settling for rest

Just then the Little Prince comes out

and takes his royal seat

Upon a lily pad he's perched

bobbing to the mellow beat

Of the crickets and cicadas

dreamy, soothing, evening song

that puts the garden all to sleep -

that chorus sweet and long

Prince Adam in his dark green suit

and giant, knowing eyes

lets out a deep, long croak -

a bit of wisdom from the wise

Luminous moonlight glows against

the vast, deep navy sky,

sprinkled endlessly with stars;

some of which go shooting by

Ever slowly Lily Rose

tips her stem and falls asleep,

into a nighttime slumber

that is fitful, rich and deep

Full of dreams about her garden

as her pretty petals doze -

for nowhere is there a flower

as fair as Lily Rose

P.S. - But I do need to find an illustrator for my book (hint, hint James.....)

So while I type this Morgan INSISTS on being curled up on my lap. For those who don't know, I have a mole he is obsessed with back from his infant days. He had a melt down and needed comforted because he couldn't have desert before lunch. Anyhow, after wriggling around like he had ants in his pants to the point of which was driving me crazy, he finally fell still, fell limp against my chest and fell asleep. So he's now quietly snoring on my lap...his finger still attached to what he calls "my mole." I'm not going to lie, I worry a little about this freakish obsession of his.

A Day With The Boys

2010-01-17T17:14:00.000-08:00

I took the oldest three boys, Tritter, B & Trouble, for a hike today. The temperature reached into the 60's with clear, blue skies and hardly any wind. So we're in the car on the way there only to find out Tritter and Trouble forgot their water bottles. So they get a short lecture from me on responsibility and listening. See, they were told at least three times, "Fill your water bottles." Tritter was on the internet & Trouble has the attention span of about 4 seconds. A very minor setback which didn't ruin more than a moment in the car....you know, the moment where it enters the left ear, but before it exits the right ear.

We had a very nice hike - saw some deer quite close and a few bright red cardinals whose color jumped out at you in the bare, dull trees. The sight made me think of Michigan and all the birds we had on our property.

"Afternoon Sunbeams"

The boys had fun and we only had one minor injury, and it happened to B. He's slightly accident prone, which is odd because he's so athletic. From behind me I hear a yell and turn around to see him holding his face...nothing around him but a tree so it takes about one second to put two & two together and like a good Mom I start laughing...hard. Who runs into a tree? The photo does not do it justice. His cheek was all red and ever-so-slightly puffy, the top of his nose a nice shade of crimson, the side of his nose scraped and bloodied and a nice wide stripe down the middle of his forehead with a couple of little scratches. It wasn't a very big tree. He was looking at the owl they have in outside cages and evidently it did not occur to him to watch where he was walking. Never mind how many hundreds of times (he in particular) has heard those words.

I stifle my laughter somewhat and hand him my cold water bottle to cool it off and keep the swelling down. There was clearly no real damage except perhaps his ego. As soon as we started walking again he said in a quiet, shaky voice, "I know Dad's gonna come up with some good jokes on this one." More quiet belly laughter from me. (I'm not a bad person, it just appears I've inherited a slightly dark sense of humor. Who knew?)

"Blasted Tree"

Only Trouble can show this much enthusiasm as I take the last photos of our afternoon hike - My three boys, all lined up with happy, somewhat tired grins on their faces. And then Trouble takes his emotion to a whole new level.

"Oh Yeah!"

So we throw our backpacks in the trunk, and I tell the boys to drink their water as we get loaded in the car. We're all buckled in and driving slowly out of the park when Tritter comments in his serious, somber voice. "Ya know, I've never seen anyone run into a tree. But they show it on T.V. all the time." (More silent laughter from depth of my stomach.) Also in a serious tone, B responds from the back, "Yeah, now I know why. It's easier than I thought." No sound escaped my lips, but my body continued to shake in the driver's seat.

Fulfilling a Special Request for The Godfather

2010-01-14T16:50:00.001-08:00

"Put 'Em up"

"Godfather and I"

"HEY YOU MOM!"

"Childhood Is Exhausting...."

"Wash this...."

"Everytime a bell rings and angel gets his wings."

"I Wonder Where the Keys Are to That Lock?"

"I Can Open It Now? Right Now?"

Imagine a really loud yell of enthusiasm to go with this one

"Yee hah, I got blocks!"

"Love Hurts"

"This is SO Tom Sawyer!"

"I Think I Can...I Think I Can...."

"Small Wonder"

Our not-so-little anymore, taste of what it is truly like to have a child with the energy of the Tasmanian Devil, the persistence of Sylvester (the one always chasing "Tweety"), and the curiosity of what I can only imagine must be up there with other great, need-to-know minds such as Albert Einstein, Benjamin Franklin and Nikola Tesla. (Kirstyn's hero)

Now, what our colorful child who keeps life constantly entertaining with his exasperating ways will do with his bright mind and boundless endurance...well, only time will tell. In the meantime we enjoy his energetic antics and try not to go nuts, when, yet again today he asks the exact same question for the 87th time, convinced that if he asks enough he will eventually get the answer he needs.

Christmas Morning

2010-01-10T21:35:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas this year. The kids got up and piled their gifts and waited patiently for Mom & Dad to get up. They did not wake me until 8 a.m. I am not a morning person and like good children figured it better not to ruffle my feathers with a crack-of-down, rude awakening. I heard some gasps and the shifting of gifts, but slept on. So we enjoyed a lazy day of home baked goodies & treats as we leisurely opened presents. It was a terrific day where childhood wonder and marvel make all the magic of Christmas come alive.

*And I just want to state that only a true outdoorsman could burn through over 800 caps in his brand new Shotgun in a matter of hours.

Why not?

2010-01-10T21:16:00.000-08:00

Soo...I'll give it a go at blogging. Not sure how good I'll be at keeping up, or how much detail of my life I'll be willing to blurt out, but I'll give it a whirl. I'm hoping for a fun & healthy 2010 filled with some travel & good times. Every day is a bit of an adventure here.