Saturday, February 28, 2009

Weeks in Review

It seemed I was getting pretty regular on posting at least once a week, if not more. And then February hit, and I have been so bad about getting on here or even reading my friends' sites. I don't really know why but a bit was that I was suffering burn out or just flat out had other things to do when I had the time to come sit at the computer. So, here is at least a quick photo recap of us since mid-February.

Teeny tiny photo but here is a picture of Jason visiting Grant's class to talk about dental care (February is National Dental Health Month). Grant was such a great helper showing his friends how to keep your mouth open and how to brush and how to wear the "bib" at the office. We just laughed and laughed listening to the kids' questions and comments. Four year olds are funny!!!


Can you tell who Mickey is? I'll give you a hint: he's nearly turning 30 and likes to be a goofball. This was a great birthday party (bday girl in red shirt, Grant in camo jeans) at a local gym. Valentine's Day afternoon. That evening we all cooked a great meal together and then we rented two movies that night - the last one being Fireproof. If you haven't seen it and you are married, please go rent it. It's a religious-based movie on how to work through problems in your marriage (or I guess any relationship with someone). Jason especially was very inspired by this film and I want to thank Kirk Cameron and crew for creating such a movie in this day and age. Good work. Here's Grant with his new Cars watch. The best $7 I have ever spent at Walmart. He loves this thing and tells me the time now when I ask him - it's "seven two six."

Had a few playgroups and friends come to our house and play outside. We had our meeting for our 2008 taxes and what we thought and had predicted was going to be a dreadful outcome, it actually came out with a refund for us this year! that's a huge yippee. Now we hope to re-do our driveway (if you've been here, you know why!). That same day, we fulfilled a "dream" of Grant's to go meet Chuck E. Cheese. Just so happened it was two days after the one we would normally visit was half blown away by the tornado so we went to the other one - and there isn't a Chuck E Cheese Band there!!! Total bummer. However, he and Kyle both had fun spending time playing and with GG and Bubba. The pizza was awful, tho.

This is our tent. Many an afternoon in the past month have been spent playing with our Hot Wheels in this. (PS - I am kind of (really) sick and tired of it!!!!). Kyle has really gotten the hang of yelling "mommy, pay cars!" (that's how he says play). Then grabs my leg and pulls me if I resist. He has also gotten the hang of saying "No Way!" if I ask him to do something that his little heart doesn't feel like doing. It has created a lot of instances of me totally wanting to laugh so I have a delayed parental disciplinary reaction. What a toot. Catey loves to get right in the middle of whatever we're doing on the floor. Who knew my KAO blanket from Catherine would ever get so much use 10 years later?!?!

Along with playing tent and cars, I try to work with Grant on something educational while Kyle is napping (I miss daily Grant naps!). He hasn't cared much about drawing lately but he did pull this out the other day. Don't I look just so pretty there? I have on a skirt "because that is what girls wear, Mom" although he rarely sees me in one. You can tell I drew Jason, Kyle and Catey - but they aren't that much better! Drawing was never a great aptitude of mine (nor was singing - wish I could).

This is one of my favorite pictures of Kyle. It is SO him. This child just LOVES shoes. Serious shoe fetish. He will "disappear" in to his closet for minutes at a time just trying on shoes, taking them off, putting on new ones, etc. The whole time saying "oh shoes! Pretty shoes." He just loves them. It's quite hilarious because in all other ways, he is SO boy. At least I know who to take shopping with me in the future for help picking out the latest fashions and styles.

We've also missed some birthdays this month - sorry for slacking. Also had a baby shower for one of my great friends from my Bible study group. Signed Grant up for YMCA soccer - he is so excited.
Oh my gosh - can't believe I forgot to tell! :) Hee. This is my fun section - last Saturday night, Jason and I decided at the last minute to get a babysitter so we could go listen to a friend of his playing in the band at Eskimo Joes that night. First off, major accomplishment for him to go - in college, it was pulling teeth to get him to go there with my friends rather than to the Tumbleweed with his (ps - he loved it this time). We did sit at a table upstairs and order food and were only out until 12, but still a blast. Anyhoo, long story (kinda) short - when I was looking at the band, away from Jason, a guy hit on me! I know it isn't anything big for being in a bar, but for this mom of two that never goes out, it was a major ego boost. I told him I was married, etc, etc and he turned out to be a patient of Jason's office! How funny. I did get a drink out of it, too! Woo hoo! That evening ended up being a lot of fun as a few of our friends were there and it was great to catch up sans kiddos.
Monday night I am going to the local wine bar with a friend and some of her friends, and THEN WE GET TO WATCH THE BACHELOR!!!! it's the finale and there is going to be D-R-A-M-A.
Did I mention yet that this month (basically this week) I found out that two of my best friends in Stillwater are both selling their houses and moving?!?! waaaahhhh. seriously sad news (for me, not them!)
Congrats to Catherine and baby Owen. I think that covers it for now.

DinoMite Day!

Cute picture of the boys. We had a blast today with some of our great family and friends to help bring in the beginning of Grant being four years old! The theme was dinosaurs. Can you believe that a huge dinosaur actually came to our house earlier today and left its footprints on our sidewalk? Totally cool.
We had a few games planned, including a pinata. We hung it from our 2nd floor banister and that worked really well. The only problem was the thing was made so well that no one - including yours truly - could crack it so I ended up ripping it apart so the kids could dig in on the ground. We also had a fun dino-dig planned in our sandbox but the 30 degree weather stopped that one from happening!

Here is our family! In the background on the mantle, you can see the dinosaur posterboard with the hole in it. I drew this and then cut the hole out for a "Return the Egg to the Nest" game (kind of like a bean bag toss) but we had paper mache eggs. Congrats to Garett for winning!!

Here's the cake. I did a two layer cake with some absolutely delicious icing. Seriously, the most delicious cake that has ever come from my time in the kitchen. It was a lot of fun drawing the Stegosaurus and the details. The best part is that Grant was VERY appreciative of all of the work (he likes to help in the kitchen so it was a team effort) and kept saying "this is the best, honey bunny" or "you are the best, love bug." (guess he hears us talking goo-goo sometimes!).

We finished the night with a huge OSU basketball win over Texas and dinner with my parents and Wes and Anne. Thanks to our family and friends for making Grant's day a special one that he will remember for years to come!

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Speaking of Spike...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GRANT!!!!

Grant got a new, big-boy haircut last week and it's "spikey" as he likes to say! He also was able to spend one entire afternoon/evening playing with Mom and Dad doing big-boy things! We took him bowling for the first time and yes, he did beat Jason! :) It was a great night.
Rocking out in Dad's car on our date-night. Showing off his hair.
It's been a quick 4 years of laughter and love with Mister in our lives. At 3:05 pm, it's official! Love you, big guy!!! Thanks for being our buddy.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Bump! Set! Spike!

Let's just take a moment to honor the day that volleyball, my true sport passion, was founded. Little did I know but at the bottom of my blog, I have a "this day in history" section, and today's was about the beginning of volleyball. Here's the clip, in case you don't read this today!

"William G. Morgan invented volleyball in Holyoke, Massachusetts, just four years after basketball was invented in the neighboring town of Springfield. Morgan, a physical education director, created "Mintonette" for older athletes who wanted to play indoor sports but for whom basketball was too rough. Mintonette was later renamed volleyball because the point of the game is to "volley" the ball back and forth over a net. Morgan's game took several of its characteristics from what two sports?" (do you know the answer? first one to reply with correct answer gets a Blog Boast!). Here's a Link to more volleyball facts.

It's been around since 1895, just four years longer than basketball. Those of you who have known me for a decade or two, know that I used to be passionate about it and on traveling national teams. It was fun! When I played, very few fans followed the sport and it was a rare occasion to see people other than the loving parents in the stands. Today, thanks to the help from Olympic indoor and beach coverage, and fan-favorites like Kerri Walsh (mommy-to-be, by the way!) and Misty May, the sport has drastically grown with public following and more players.

No matter what you love to do, do it! I have not played volleyball in years. I had good friends in college who I was able to play with - thanks Barb and Carrie - and then played in a church power league after marrying. Since becoming a mom, it's been hard to find the time to play (with a lot of excuses), or a group of players that wouldn't annoy me to play with (sorry, but true!). It's time for me to find a niche or group or league and start playing again. My interests have expanded and I'm not nearly as die hard as when I was 16, but it would still be good for me - mind, body and soul!

Set one up for volleyball!

If a picture could talk..

Friday, February 6, 2009

Grant's Grown Up List

Grant and I were talking the other day about "grown-up" things, and I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up to be big like Daddy. Here is the list my sweet, naive, right-brained child gave me, in this order:
  • Painter
  • Author
  • Hugger
  • Tooth Doctor
  • Kisser
  • Artist

There you have it. It's SOOO not stuff (except for the obvious) that Jason and I were interested in! We love our individuals!

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Ice day x 2!

We've had a lot of ice around our house lately. First, the boys and I enjoyed playing in the snow-covered ice pack in our culdesac on Wednesday afternoon. They both had a fun time shuffling in the snow dusting and then falling when their feet found the slick spots. We created snowmen (about 6" and 8" tall, representative of each of them), made some snowballs to throw at Daddy when he came home, and went "sledding" around the street. That was the first ice.

The second ice was from my rambunctious 3 year old who got a bit crazy at Kyle's birthday party. He was playing basketball with our friends in the back yard and was chasing the ball. Instead of getting the ball, his face made direct contact with the edge of our deck. This has to be the worst non-ER head injury possible. It swelled up so quickly. Lots of ice and lots of monitoring later, he is good-to-go while sporting a huge purple bump!

Our "sled"! It really did work for a while but since then we have been given two little saucers for the next time.

Snowman Kyle and Snowman Grant - with raisins as eyes and almonds as noses.

Elmo Party

We celebrated Kyle's birthday with an Elmo party. He had a great time! This was the first time for me to make a non 9x13 or round cake and for it to be detailed. It really was fun creating the Elmo cake and hopefully will start a new tradition in our home of having fun cakes.

Thanks to my great friend, Kristy, for making this darling personalized shirt for him! What a hit! He loved it soooo much, that he had to wear it almost immediately into the sand box.
He did so good blowing out his candles! Grant was pretty excited about it, too!
Our family!