Uno

If your child wants to play Uno at 6:30 AM and already has the cards dealt, be prepared to lose.

The best part was that he played a "non-draw 4" wild card first, choose red as the color, and then he had to draw a card because he obviously didn't deal himself any red cards.... 

Somehow I still lost...

Still Working on Spelling...

The Mario Brothers

So each year we try to get the boys to wear Halloween costumes that fit together.  Last year they were Batman and Superman, the previous year Isaasc was a monkey and Eli was a doctor (from Monkey's Jumping on a Bed). So this year, obviously, they were the Mario Brothers. They were hilarious.  Every time they would go up to a house Eli would say, "Can you guess who we are?" And since most people don't live under a rock they would say, oh you guys are the Mario Brothers.  And EVERY TIME Eli would say, "Unbelievable - how does everyone know who we are? We didn't do a very good jobb of disguising ourselves."  It happened over 10 times and we cracked up everytime.

Seriously though, they were the cutest Mario Brothers ever!

The Model

The boys like pretty girls. Especially Isaac.  I am not sure how else to say it.  Even at this young age they recognize/appreciate physical beauty, and Isaac is very much the charmer.  I receive a health magazine for women and it has various articles about exercising, eating and living health, etc.  Every issues contains a story about some beautiful famous person and has pictures throughout of models whose weight and looks are, lets be honest, unattainable without surgery and a serious amount of airbrushing.  Well, the other day the boys were in my room while I was getting ready for work and they found one of my magazines. And the conversation goes:

Isaac: Oh wow, I am going to marry her. (looking at the model on the back cover of the magazine)
Me: Oh Isaac. Just because she has a pretty face doesn't mean she would be a good person to marry. She might not not be nice.
Isaac: It doesn't matter.
Me: Of course it matters.  You don't want to just marry someone because they have a pretty face, they need to be a good person that loves you. And for you (food allergy boy) they have to be able to cook.
Isaac: Oh I am sure she is a good person, look at her.
Me: Isaac a pretty face and smile doesn't mean a person is automatically nice.
Eli: Isaac you don't even know her name, you can't marry her.
Isaac (exasperated by this time): Her name is Elizabeth and I will marry her.

Oh Isaac...

September Pictures - One

Eli's Class Trip to Boyd's Orchard

 Hayden & Eli

 Eli's the Head & Jenna Rae supplied the feet

 The whole class

 Picking apples

 The boys and their apples

 Hayride

Homeboy Cooks



Chores

As we were getting ready for soccer today Eli asked a bizarre questions - "What chores have I done for the month of October?" I said, "the only think I can think of that you have done consistently is fight with your brother." He said "No, I was thinking about something else..."
Got nothing,
But I will be coming up with a chore list.  It sounds like he wants some. Boy he will regret that question.

The Charmer

I am going to have to label the people in this story or else it will get confusing. So…

A few weeks ago Mom #1 from Isaac’s preschool class came up to me and said, “Are you Isaac’s mom?” I can’t deny him the kid looks just like me. “Well my daughter (Girl #1) is obsessed with your son, like to the point it is almost scary/embarrassing. She talks about him constantly. Sometimes I think he is the only kid in her class…” Mom #1 didn’t think that was as funny as I did.

So today Mom #2 came up to me and said almost the exact same thing. “My daughter (Girl #2) is obsessed with your son. “ Evidently the little girl told her aunt that she had this problem at school. That there is this boy in her class that she really likes, but that her best friend (Girl #3) already said she was going to marry him. But, Girl #2 continues, that is ok, I think I can change his mind…

Well Mom #1 over hears the conversation today with Mom #2, concerning girls #2 & #3. And said really suspiciously “What are you teaching your son?”

We are in for it…

While we eat...

Isaac and I are heading to Boyd's Orchard tomorrow for his preschool field trip.  During the hayride they give each child a donut and a cup of cider. Isaac can't have the donut (eggs) so I bought a donut pan this week so I could make him a safe option. The boys (John included) are obsessed with these homemade donuts.  I gave the pan a spin last night and made a cinnamon spiced donut rolled in brown sugar. It was delicious.  Tonight when we were getting ready for dinner Eli asked if I had made donuts for dessert.  Since I worked today I said, "No hon, not tonight, I didn't have time."  He consoled me, "It's ok mom you can just make them while the boys eat dinner."
Now why didn't I think of that...

Changing Their Tune

I have been given a few opportunities to travel lately to make some extra $$.  I hate being away from the fam, but it is a great experience and will lead me in some directions I want to go, career-wise, in the future.  The boys were all hugs yesterday as I was getting ready to leave. Saying, "we'll miss you so much", "who is going to feed us, " blah blah blah.  John said, "Mommy is going to go make us so money so we can go to the beach again next year." Their tune changed quickly. They started doing some kind of happy dance and running around the room and then said "See ya" and pushed me out the door...

When I Grow Up

We have made it a practice to ask the boys what they want to be when they grow-up. We want to start planting seeds and sneaking ideas into their head early so they won't be living with us when they are 30. Given their answers we have our work cut out for us.
Isaac: An animal rescuer... (as a note, Eli is TERRIFIED of animals, how are they so different??)
Eli: An astronaut (will have to move to Germany or China for that one) or "a science" (I guess he wants to be studied?)

Homework

It has been a really long time. I know, I have lots to catch up on, but I had to capture my "experience" in doing homework with Isaac.  I am not sure at what point it became cool to "mess" with your mom in preschool, but all I can say is Isaac is going to give us a run for his money.  The homework was easy.  In fact it was the exact same homework he has had for the past two weeks. Trace "Isaac" write "Isaac" twice, trace A (2) and write 10 (A's), and trace a (2) and write 10 (a's). I was thinking 5 minutes tops, which is why I waited until 7:55 PM on a Sunday night before tackling it with him. Not with Isaac - 30 minutes later I was about ready to take the pencil out of his hand and do his homework using my left hand so it would be believably done by a 4 year old.  Tracing went pretty well. Then he "wrote" his name. The "I" was correct, the small "s" was backwards and on the top line, the two a's were so small they looked like they had been typed by a typewriter, and the c was upside down.  He would just look at me and say, "good enough" with this stupid grin on his face that really said, "oh you want to watch the Emmy's - I am going to make sure you miss at least the first four awards."  And I did.....

Eli's First Day of School

I am not sure why...

but Eli wears all of his shirts backwards on purpose. He likes the design to be on the back instead of the front.  What a weirdo.

Becoming a Grown-Up

Eli was complaining about having tacos for dinner. I told him when he turned 18 he can make us all dinner and he can pick what he wants to cook.

He said, exasperated, "What - I have to wait until I'm grown-up! I have tons of lessons to learn before then."


So, so true...

Pete's Dragon & The Treadmill

Have you ever seen Pete's Dragon? It is a weird movie.  For some reason Eli really likes it.  He was watching it today and during the scene where they are running on large barrels of beer (really not sure how this was ever deemed a "kids" movie) Eli said - "Now there is a family who needs a treadmill." Running drunk on a treadmill, now that sounds like an adventure...

Speaking of running on the treadmill, I learned a valuable lesson last week.  For Mother's Day John installed a flat screen TV in front of my treadmill.  I quickly learned that I can not watch new episodes of funny shows while running.  I about fell off the treadmill laughing at Modern Family, when Cam ran into the door, after falling in the pool.... too funny.

Preschool Graduation

The boys "graduated" from preschool this past week.  I must say it was one of the cutest programs I have been to.  The boys had a great year in preschool - hard to believe Eli will be in Kindergarten next year.  They are growing up on me!

I wish this wasn't normal

but it totally is...

T-Ball

If only we were as good as we look...

The tie

1) The tie is clip-on
2) It came with an outfit for Eli (6-12 months)
3) Isaac wore it everyday for one week (school, park, library, grocery, Mother's Day Tea, etc.)

That's My Boy....

The best things I ever did...

Teach the boys how to use the hand vac....