My Favorites

This summer, I have been blessed to spend some quality time with my little boys. While it has not always been a walk in the park, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with them. Hopefully they would articulate the same about me. We have had our fair share (maybe more than our fair share when considering my 2.5 yr old) of meltdowns, screaming/crying/whining fests, tantrums, and arguments, but in between all of these were laughter, joy, learning, and great memories being made.

I hope I never forget these special moments and words my boys have shared with their mommy and daddy. So, as I reminisce, I also appreciate the smaller things in our summer: the boys' words.

Nolan (2.5yrs)
"That's a Holy Cow!" In reference to a very low plane.
"When my finger is hurt and it gets dead and I go see Jesus I will show him my silly bands."
"You need pridacy?"
"Oopsie. I have to go potty!" Every time he has to take care of business, it is oops!
"Simon, you are not the boss."


Simon (4yrs)
"Certainly." His answer when I asked if he wanted a drink.
"You're flying! ... No I am not, I'm falling with style." First attempt at a movie quote.
"Since God is up in the sky, maybe we can wave to him when we fly in an airplane someday."
"I want some pop. My tummy hurts. Not like throw-up hurt, just a little hurt."
"You know that there are animals and bugs that hybertate? So, they could just go to a warm building instead of going to warmer weather."

I know that as soon as I post this, one of my boys will inevitably say something memorable, but alas, I post anyway.

I go back to the grind on Thursday and am NOT looking forward to it! Then my class starts too. I am not going to lie though. Having some adult interaction (in-between dealing with 13-14 year-olds all day) will be nice.

Time Marches On

During the past two weeks, we have been busy buzzy bees in our household. (Thank you one of my ultimate faves, My Many Colored Days, by Dr. Seuss for the fabulous alliteration and great metaphor.) My hubby kindly, and quite fabulously finished painting a few rooms in our home with the help of his dad. This translated to rooms being torn apart and the untouched rooms providing the space for those displaced items. Bottom line: our house was a disaster! Alas, most items have made it back to there appropriate places which was one of three options: back to where it came from, the garage sale pile, or the trashcan/recycling bin.

I also took the little boys to visit my parents and my maternal grandparents. My littlest sis looked after my boys while Mom and I went to visit Grandpa in the nursing home and then capture Grandma from her home for some lunch. Mom treated everyone to Mumfords for lunch while my boys provided a little comic relief and perhaps a few headaches from screaming and playing so loudly! It was a great visit.

While Daddy was bailing hay/straw, I also took the boys to our local splash pad. I must say that this was a trip well-worth it, because for the first time all summer, I decided to visit it in the evening, after dinner. I highly recommend visiting your local splash pad in the evenings! We practically had the place to ourselves!

We were able to join my hubby's grandma for her 90th birthday celebration at Der Dutchman She really enjoyed herself and so did everyone else. The food wasn't half-bad either. You know, if you like the perfectly cooked, hormone-free chicken YUMMY!!!

I finished up my School Finance Class!

And, my hubby treated me to a date night last night! We went to Easton to do a little shopping/browsing and then to watch the movie,Grown-Ups . Afterward, we ate at Fado

Oh, I did not mention the time I was utterly embarrassed in the grocery store as well. My boys were absolute monsters! Now don't get me wrong, they are never perfect while trudging up and down store isles, but typically the good heavily outweighs the bad. Not this day, though. It was rough. I will spare you the details in attempt give no glory to their awful behavior. And as a sad attempt to erase their devilish day and my mortified moments from my memory.

I can hardly imagine school starting again in a few weeks. I have started sleeping-training myself and actually setting my alarm in the mornings (although it seems as though my boys are up before the alarm, mo matter what time it is due to go off!) Slowly, I will inch my way to the 5:30 rise time I prefer when school starts!

Happy Anniversary +One Day

Yesterday, my hubby and I celebrated our seven year wedding anniversary with swim lessons and a lunch at Wendy's with the family...how romantic, right? Within the next few weeks we will be able to enjoy an evening out, so I am ok with it. Plus, we had a pretty low key day, which seems to be less and less with two busy little boys. So, it was just as well. Did I mention that my hubby spent the evening clearing out our office/playroom and filling in nail holes so that he can paint later this week? Seriously, a girl would not be in her right mind to complain about that! (Believe me, I would typically help with this kind of project, assuming that the boys would cooperate, but I donated blood in the afternoon and my arm was a bit sore...wink)

Anyway, happy anniversary! Thank you for all that you do for me and for our family! I am proud to call you my husband! I love you!

Below, you will see a few of my favorite moments that were captured by our camera over the past year. Unfortunately, we did not have digital cameras at the time of our wedding. In the summer of 2003, this idea was still a little new. Our photographer (who was amazing by the way!) did not have a digital option at the time (or was too expensive due to the new technology) and we opted for the traditional, but now old fashioned film. :) So, in light of that, I have decided to include what our lives together were like over the past year!

Have you heard of holy cow?

This week, we started swimming lessons for our oldest son. While it is his nature to observe and contemplate what is going on, it is also his nature to do what he is suppose to do for other adults. This has translated to a shy and apprehensive 4yr-old who will try anything the instructor asks him to, but he is never the first one to volunteer, and is often one of the last. As his mom, I am ok with that, even though it is my nature to want him to be less shy (since that is how I am) I take pleasure in the fact that he is not 'that boy' in class who does not listen and wanders away towards the deeper water a half a dozen times during class. I take pleasure in the fact that he is not splashing all the other children on purpose like the girl in the purple bathing suit was today. But most of all, I am proud that he is trying and he is listening to the instructors.

While I was tucking Simon in his bed the other night he told me that there was a boy with red swimming trunks on and he was in his class. And every time that boy got out of the water, everyone could he is crack...and it was a big one. HA!

When my younger boy was watching his brother during lessons, several planes flew overhead and one was really low. My 2yr-old said (and I quote), "Mommy! That was a holy cow!" So, props to my little guy for attempting to use this phrase appropriately. Usually I take a time like that as a teachable moment, but he was so cute and so proud of himself I did not. This was also in part because his words sounded adorable and I hope that I get to hear him say this again in the near future. Maybe then I will tell him about the correct way to use "holy cow."

writer's block

Well folks, what started as a blog to record/remember those supposedly unforgettable moments, has turned into dead-air in the blogging world. With a two and a four year-old, every day is an adventure and inevitably someone says or does something a little out of the norm. These moments do not always end up in laughter, but screaming, pushing, running into things, and of course, whining to Mommy. I just have not been able to wrap words around these incidents!

I promise, my family and I are not just being lazy bums here. We have been home from vacation for a week and I need a vacation again just from trying to catch up! My little guys have enjoyed a low-key week after Myrtle Beach, the Fourth of July with my parents, sisters, brothers-in-law, and nephews. My oldest loves the water, (and we start swimming lessons tomorrow) so I tried to get him and his brother outside in our blow-up pool as much as possible. I survived two more classes of school finance, and just when I thought I had a handle on things I hit a wall.

I FINALLY got to see Eclipse on Friday night while Daddy took the boys to his friend's mom's surprise 60th birthday party. While I wish I could have gone with them, I must admit that a few hours away from my guys (big and little included) was nice and refreshing. (Plus, I had popcorn all to myself. My neighbor, who accompanied me, also had her own popcorn!)

Until later...

Remember Me?

Hey folks! I am still here. My fam and I took a little vacation to Myrtle Beach last week, and to protect the integrity of our lives, I did not announce that via this blog until AFTER we have returned. (Of course, to those that read this and know me, I was not at all worried. I just like to be careful on here. You know, practice Internet safety.)

We had a great time: our oldest, the neat-freak who does not like to be messy, wanted to go to the pool every day, but since we can do that in Ohio, his little brother won that battle. I will share more later.

When we returned, we visited family for the fourth, which is ALWAYS a blast. And friends came to visit us, which was also great fun!

For now, I am off to study fiscal neutrality. Please, no one jump out of your seat. I know that sounds just splendid, and it is...not. I will be glad to fill you in. You know, once I understand it, which will be never.

Thank you Thomas Edison!

WARNING: this post may or may not have a picture (or two) that may or may not be suitable for all viewers! HA!

Yesterday, the members in our household ate PB and J, Sun Chips,and peaches and pears for dinner thanks to a power outage. This is a sufficient meal, and surprisingly enjoyable due to the entire situation: steaks thawed and ready for the grill (Hubby had this too, but it did not seem like such a treat w/o all the fixins to go with it!) and oven minutes away from preheating to 350 degrees. We laughed and shook our heads, part in disgust and part in 'oh well' mentality.

You see, in our neck of the woods (or at least our neighborhood, anyway) we lose power quite often. If someone close sneezes too hard (or the slightest storm is brewing) we lose power (a bit of an over-statement, but it does happen frequently!) If five houses in the vicinity are all doing laundry at the same time, while simultaneously cooling their homes to to a whopping 79 degrees, we loose power (again, a hyperbole, but you get the picture) Last night was no different. We sat in and semi-functioned without electric for close to 6hrs. We survived. It was fun. Except with my 2yr old had to take care of business in the potty. He was scared and refused to go. Below is a picture of how we dealt.


This turned into a bigger issue than just last night. You see, when my two children went to bed 2hrs later than normal, and got up a tad earlier than normal as well, we become desperate to curtail the whining and the meltdowns and the fights among the little boys. So, we resort to measures that are a rarity in our home: allowing the boys to jump on our bed. No, we do not try to eliminate all sorts of fun around here, I am just a tad nervous, that by allowing the boys to do this, unsupervised nap times (the kind where we tuck them in and walk out of the room and shut the door) OR sleepless nights (when Mommy and Daddy clearly need their rest and the boys want to be up) WILL RESULT IN A TRIP TO THE ER! So, under supervision, the boys passed some time doing this. This is a great trick to break-in a new mattress too!