Uncle Orv

Today we went to the funeral of my Great Uncle Orville (Orv). He fought a corageous battle with cancer. The sentiments shared at the funeral were touching, but one thing struck me as so sweet. One of Uncle Orv's daughters, Charlotte, wrote about memories of her dad. One thing she shared was that her blood type is B+ (be positive) and her dad always reminded her of that when she was feeling down...what a heart-warming memory. I wish I had been able to get to know Uncle Orv better. I hope the family is comforted with happy memories of Uncle Orv this holiday season.

For your listening enjoyment...

John's heartwarming rendition of Jingle Bells (with a little background singing from Ethan)...happy holidays everyone!!!

Our Gingerbread House

Ummm....Jason took John for a trip to the hardware store so Ethan and I got out one of our two Gingerbread House Kits. All was going ok (we were still in the beginning stages), until I went into the kitchen to wash some icing off my hands. By the time I returned, (about 2.7 seconds later) Ethan had half of the roof off and was in a mid-candy-eating extravaganza. Oh well, it was a fun project for Ethan (and Mommy too) and he enjoyed the sweet treat :). The sugar high lasted for approximately 47 minutes. Maybe John's house will come together (and stay together) a little better...lol

Tom LIVES!!!!

Reference a previous post regarding our neighbors' turkey, Tom. He survived another Thanksgiving....we were excited to run to the fence yesterday and see him waddling around gobbling at us!

Before I Was a Mom

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on.
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mindand my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,I
never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at nightwatching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn't want to put him down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn't stop the hurt.
I never knew that something so smallcould affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling ofhaving my heart outside my body.
I didn't know how special it could feelto feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bondbetween a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so smallcould make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,the joy,the love,the heartache,
the wondermentor the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

I'm thankful for...

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for:

1) My husband, Jason. We have been married 7 years and together 9 years. I am thankful that he loves me and continues to put up with me :). I love you Jason!

2) Our miracle sons...John and Ethan. I am so thankful to be a mother to these two smart, sweet, loving, handsome, active little boys. There were so many years that we thought we might never have a family and we feel so blessed.

3) My health...although, I defininitely need to work on losing a few pounds (ok, more than a few).

4) Our families and friends. Both Jason and I are lucky to have wonderful, supportive parents, siblings other relatives and friends.

4) My career, coworkers and partner. I work with an amazingly warm and funny group of people and they make my time at work so much more enjoyable.

5) A comfortable home to live in.

and last...

6) Starbucks' Black Tea Lemonades...yum...love 'em

I hope everyone this Thanksgiving will take a moment to reflect on everything there is to be thankful for.

Prayers for Tom :)

This is Tom...

Tom is our neighbor's turkey. See...our neighbors have a small 2-acre farm and they bought Tom about 2 years ago and planned to cook him up for Thanksgiving last year. However, they got somewhat attached to Tom, ended up giving him at least a 1 year reprieve and took family photos with him last Christmas. Tom may not be so lucky this year...what with a slowing economy and all. We love us some holiday turkey, but we've gotten attached to good ol' Tom. Keep your fingers crossed for him over the next couple of days :)

Talking, talking, talking

The boys are talking constantly now and repeating just about everything they hear (yes, that's a scary thought...we're starting to be much more careful regarding our choice of words lately). They are saying the funniest things too! Yesterday, I picked them up from daycare and Ethan was dancing in his carseat and I said "Ethan's such a silly goose" and they both laughed. After a few minutes, John says "Mama...I not a goose". I thought it was pretty funny!

Wasn't Me

After coming into the room and asking John who spilled his milk, he very innocently told me "Ethan did it"... interesting. He doesn't look guilty, does he? :)

Halloween 2008

The boys had a great Halloween and were dressed as dalmations. We went to some houses in a neighborhood near our house and they were eager to say "tick o teat" and "tank youuuuu". They looked so cute and had a great time. Here are a few pics:

Frankie

This week, I got the shocking news of the passing of my former mentor and current friend, Frank Ault. Frank hired me and was one of my two mentors for five years at RSM McGladrey. He joined my partner and I at our firm and later decided to work out of his home. We always joked that Frank had been "three to five years from retirement" for the past 10 years.

My single most embarassing professional moment happened in Frank's presence as I gracefully tripped while trying to board an elevator, dropped my briefcase and paperwork, and nearly headbutted the back of the elevator wall. This was all in front of a new client. I will never forget the roll of Frank's eyes and how hard he laughed once we were in the car heading back to the office. He loved to tell that story and it always made us both laugh.

Frank had a great sense of humor, was fiercely loyal and was instrumental in my career. He encouraged me when I needed it, knocked me down a peg when I deserved it, and gave me a hard time whenever he could (which was typically every time we spoke or saw each other). He was gruff and endearing all at the same time. I am better for knowing Frank and will truly miss him.

Boys

I received this as an email and thought it was too funny not to post about "things you learn when you have a son(s)":

1.) A king size waterbed holds enough water to fill a 2000 sq. ft. house 4 inches deep.
2 .) If you spray hair spray on dust bunnies and run over them with roller blades, they can ignite.
3.) A 3-year old Boy's voice is louder than 200 adults in a crowded restaurant.
4.) If you hook a dog leash over a ceiling fan, the motor is not strong enough to rotate a 42 pound Boy wearing Batman underwear and a Superman cape. It is strong enough, however, if tied to a paint can, to spread paint on all four walls of a 20x20 ft. room.
5.) You should not throw baseballs up when the ceiling fan is on. When using a ceiling fan as a bat, you have to throw the ball up a few times before you get a hit. A ceiling fan can hit a baseball a long way.
6.) The glass in windows (even double-pane) doesn't stop a baseball hit by a ceiling fan.
7.) When you hear the toilet flush and the words 'uh oh', it's already too late.
8.) Brake fluid mixed with Clorox makes smoke, and lots of it.
9.) A six-year old Boy can start a fire with a flint rock even though a 36- year old Man says they can only do it in the movies.
10.) Certain Lego's will pass through the digestive tract of a 4-year old Boy.
11.) Play dough and microwave should not be used in the same sentence. 12.) Super glue is forever.
13.) No matter how much Jell-O you put in a swimming pool you still can't walk on water.
14.) Pool filters do not like Jell-O.
15.) VCR's do not eject 'PB & J' sandwiches even though TV commercials show they do.
16.) Garbage bags do not make good parachutes.
17.) Marbles in gas tanks make lots of noise when driving.
18.) You probably DO NOT want to know what that odor is.
19.) Always look in the oven before you turn it on; plastic toys do not like ovens.
20.) The fire department in Austin, TX has a 5-minute response time. 21.) The spin cycle on the washing machine does not make earthworms dizzy.
22.) It will, however, make cats dizzy.
23.) Cats throw up twice their body weight when dizzy.

Our little helper

John is such a helper. He always likes to help unloading the dishwasher, folding laundry, cleaning up toys, etc. Yesterday, he decided to "help" in the kitchen by pulling all the pots and pans and tupperware out of the cupboards...

Mommy & Daddy's Tub

Lately, every night, the boys ask to take a bath in Mommy and Daddy's tub. They love that it's bigger and has jets (makes for lots of bubbles even though I don't the the bubbles are good for the jets). Here they are last night having their tubby...

ABC's, Twinkle Twinkle & Jibberish

Binky Free!!!!

The boys reached a big (and long overdue) milestone this week....we gave up the binkies!!! We arranged a "ceremony" at school whereby Mommy gathered up all binkies, divided them into 2 ziploc baggies and tied them up with ribbon. On Friday morning at daycare, we knocked on the door of the infant room and the boys ceremoniously gave their binkies to the babies. Jason and I are so proud of them! To celebrate them being such big boys, I took the boys to pick out special, big boy stuffed animals to sleep with. Ethan picked a doggy and John picked a gorilla (monkey). Since we bought them, the boys have slept with their animals and even given them rides on their tricycles (see below)...

John's monkey is between the handlebars in front:

Ethan's doggy is on the back between the rear wheels:

Bathtime Fun

Lately Ethan loves to lay down in the tub and stick his face out through the bubbles...he thinks it's so funny...


John thinks Ethan's funny and loves to try to turn the water back on after we've turned it off...

You're funny....no, you're funny...

Trip to Enchanted Village

A couple of months ago, Jason and I took the boys to Enchanted Village for a day of fun and rides. My friend, Chaney, and her son, Logan, came along...a great time was had by all!

Jason on the roller coaster (he looks like such a big kid)! Chaney and Logan (hiding his face) are directly behind him...


Me with the boys on the carousel...

Driving the cars (they both had steering wheels and were so excited)...

Chaney & Logan...

Silly Logan...

Rides - John, Logan & Ethan...

Fun boats...

Me & Logan on a scary ride (I was terrified)...

Tricycle Riding 101

According to Ethan, there are a few very important steps in learning to ride a tricycle effectively:

Step #1 - Check safety equipment (handle bars secure, pedals secure)

Step #2 - Clear a path for riding

Step #3 - Remove pants and diaper and begin riding

Trip to Packwood with Entire Family

A few weeks ago, my sister (Holly), her husband (Alex) and their son (Cooper) came home for a visit. While they were here, we spent a fun weekend at our family's cabin in Packwood. We all had a great time and it was so much fun seeing all of the boys interact and play together.

Grandma with Cooper (left) and John (right)

Grandma with boys (right to left) Ethan, Cooper & John (and 3 binkies too)

Silly boys - John, Cooper and Ethan

Ethan, Cooper & John looking out the sliding glass window with Grandpa (BaPop)

It's a Boy Thing...

Tonight after dinner, I was cleaning the kitchen when Ethan came in and said "Bee, Mama, Bee". I looked down and he had a dead fly squooshed between his fingers and was bringing it to me to show off his trophy. Jason tells me that it's just a boy thing...gross!

Day at the Park

Last Friday, Jason and I took the boys to the park for hours of fun. Here are a couple pictures of the boys having a great time...

Ethan's Stitches

Ethan slipped in the bathtub last night and hit his eye on the faucet cover. After 3 hours in the ER, Ethan walked out with 6 stitches. He was a brave boy (braver than mommy...although I put on a happy face for his sake but cried after he was tucked into bed) and charmed all the nurses and the doctor.

Treadmill Video

Potty Boy!!!

We decided long ago not to push the whole potty training routine. When the boys turned 2, we set out the potty seats and showed them what they were and just left it at that. Now that they are in daycare, they are seeing other kids their age going on the potty and have become very intent on showing us their interest. Today, with no mention of it whatsoever, John took off his shorts, took off his diaper, and went directly to the potty chair, sat down, and peed. We are soooo proud of our boy! We're sure it will take quite some time before they are fully potty trained, but we're definitely moving in the right direction :). Look at his proud face...

Toddler Chatter

The boys have been chatting up a storm lately and repeating everything (yes, everything) they hear. They also have been doing lots of singing (Ethan spent 45 minutes last night singing to himself in bed before finally drifting off to sleep and John is VERY into humming and doing all the hand motions for "I'm a little teapot" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider". Some of the favorite sayings lately are:

"Me do"
"You do"
"No John" (umm....apparently we say this one a lot)
"More please" (pronounced "moooooor peas")
"More juice please"
"Baby Pooper" (cousin Cooper is coming for a visit, and they can't say their c's)
"Big Boy Potty" (they are starting to get the hand of this potty training business)
"All Done" (pronounced "ahhhhh dun")

Also, the other day John lifted up my shirt, poked me in the belly and said "baby". Ouch! I have NO IDEA where he learned this (and NO, I'm not pregnant)...I said, no baby...just mama's big belly (lovely, huh?).

Daddy's been gone all week in Great Falls, Montana, working, so we're all very excited that he'll be home tonight! The boys have been asking "daddy go?" all week long. We're looking forward to a fun, family weekend!

Random Stuff (past few weeks)

John is a boy obsessed with on-off-on....



Little boy, big chair...

Here is Ethan last night sleeping with his shoes on (turned sideways in his bed). So far, he's slept in tennies, rubber boots and sandals. He seems to favor these tennies for sleeping :)

Wetsuits

When the boys were first born, my parent's friends, Merle & Elizabeth, bought them these cute wetsuits. My parents live on Lake Tapps and they figured these would come in handy. Last week, we finally had the opportunity to put them in their wetsuits for swimming at Grandma and Grandpa's house and they looked SOOOOO cute!