Card Sharks

Sometime in the past few weeks, we have taught the boys how to play "Go Fish". We started by teaching Wyatt (who becomes very addicted to playing the same game over and over again -just like me come to think of it!) when the other two were playing outside. Once Wyatt go the hang of it, we tried with again, but with all three.

After a couple crazy games, they all seem to have the hang of it. Since they are unable to hold their cards up (with their hands anyhow)so no one can see, Lucas has learned he can look around to see who he should ask. As his eyes wander between our cards he asks us, "Do you have a pour (four) Way- G-ax...Mommy?" Jaxon is learning to listen to who asks for the same numbers he has in his hands. Not only does this give him a fair advantage, it also helps keep his voice to a minimal yelling level so he can hear everyone else.

It gets trying to teach them a game, but -like anything else -so worth it when they get it. Now if I could just remember more card games to teach them...

Tan Lines

While Jaxon was outside spraying his brothers through the window, I got quite a view of the tan lines on the other two. Have you ever seen such white tooshies?

Floaties rock!

While I was cruising the internet about 8 years ago, I remember coming across all these sites about infant swimming. I thought for sure when I had a baby, we would be in my parents pool all the time, cooling off and letting the water soothe us. Then we had three babies at once and the idea of bringing all three in the pool sent me into a sweaty mess and my heart would start pounding. Even with a one to one adult/child ratio, it was too hard with the kids trying to crawl out of the floats and trying to keep on their nap schedules and my head would just feel like it was going to explode -so all the baby swimming didn't happen like I would have loved.

This past summer we have been doing much more swimming. And been going through LOTS of sunscreen. I think we are on our 7th and 8th bottle of lotion right now. Even with all the SPF 50's, Wyatt's tan line makes him look like a half dipped Easter egg.

Since Nana and Pops pool had been having chemical issues, we had gone to the community pool countless times. It is only about 2 and a half feet deep, so they have had tons of time to get comfortable in the water and figure out new fun things for them to try. Jaxon will put his head under the water for about 15 seconds just trying to see how much longer he can go. He tells me he wants to be a diver when he grows up.

Now that my parents pool is back up and clean, we have been swimming there as well. Wyatt and Jaxon are having a blast swimming around with their floaties on. I use the term swimming very loosely though, it is more like a tread, but we will take whatever progress we can get. Luke wants to try to swim, but he is still a bit afraid. His nature is to observe and observe more. And then when HE is ready, and not a moment sooner, he will jump in with both feet and rock it out in his own style.

For now though, Jaxon is jumping in the pool with his floaties on his arms and goggles on his face. Wyatt is treading around the step/jacuzzi area, staying close to the walls, but feeling the taste of freedom. Lucas is staying close to the steps, or staying in the jacuzzi all together, but loves to hold on to our back while we swim around. But no matter what we are all doing, all five of us are having a good time at the pool this summer.

Our garden grew

I meant to post this about a month ago when we were getting so many tomatoes, onions, peppers and egg plants like crazy from the garden. We even grew a nice sized watermelon (that split only days after this photo-bummer!). Between our house and my moms, we had fresh food at least every other day.

When we bought the plants, we bought some jalapeno plants that have turned out to be incorrectly labeled and were cayenne peppers instead. There is really not much you can do with cayenne peppers, so we had more than enough to spare of those -and as luck would have it, they were the most heartiest of all the peppers that grew. Now that everything has just about had it with the outdoor temperatures (we have been over 100 for what seems like weeks now) the cayenne peppers still have lots of color on the plant. And beans. lots of beans. All the sudden they were everywhere and more than we could stand to pick in the crazy heat. But they got so tall and hearty so fast!

I love that the boys were able to eat veggies so fresh from the vines. Luke does not like tomatoes, but because we had them growing in our own backyard, he tried the cherry tomatoes again and again to see if the taste would appeal to him. Jaxon loved the bell peppers right off the vines and would rub his tummy when ever he saw them.

It was a great way to save money and eat healthier for all of us. Can't wait to see what we decide to grow next year.

Fishing 101

For the boys birthday, Annie had gotten each of the boys a fishing pole. Even though we brought it with us on our camping trip, we never had the opportunity to use it.

When ever Jax sees something on the television that reminds him even remotely of fishing, he begins to talk about how much he really wants to fish.

Finally Don took it upon himself to teach the boys the basics of fishing. He gave each of them their fishing poles and taught them how to drop the line and reel it back up. Originally, he was thinking to have them practice in the backyard, but with daily temperatures being over 100 degrees, he had to get a bit inventive and find another spot.




Who knew the upstairs hallway could be such a hot fishing spot?

Wyatt said...

While we were in California, Wyatt stood in the wet sand and picked up a pretty shell. Putting it up to his ear, he got a big smile on his face and yelled -over the sound of an incoming wave- that he could hear the ocean in his shell.

4 years old

A little late, but worthy of getting it posted. At the boys 4 year check up, there were no shots (yay!) and only one melt down by a little man who does NOT like his mouth to be looked at. The whole appointment was short and sweet and the stats are as follows:

Wyatt 33 lbs and 39 3/4 inches tall

Jaxon 34 lbs and 41 1/2 inches tall

Lucas 36 lbs and 41 1/2 inches tall

Weekend in CA

The beach was calling us, so this past weekend we took a quick trip to California. We stayed at a beautiful 4 star hotel for only $70 a night (yeah priceline!). It was on the ground floor and had sliding glass doors that led out to a sand volley ball pit only 20 feet away. The boys loved running outside and it was a great way to have them wind down after that long car ride getting there.

We were trying to be as budget conscious as possible, so Don packed our cooler full of hot dogs and chicken along with some kids snacks and chip dip. After breakfast we went to the beach and did not leave again until after it got dark. Don bbq'd both lunch and dinner and it was so good. The boys ate way more than we thought they would, a testament to either the great tasting food or working up an appetite, I am not sure. Probably both :)

Either way, with their stomachs full after lunch, they nodded off and Don and I got to have some fun of our own boogie boarding. For about an hour we were riding waves all the way in to the beach, taking turns checking on the boys. It was definitely the highlight of the weekend for Don and I, having a bit of alone time out in the water. Soon Jaxon peeked his head out and he loved sitting with us while we took turns showing him how we rode the waves in. Once Wyatt woke up, the fun was over for me, but Jaxon started really started getting into watching Don out there. Jax would cheer him on, or laugh a huge belly laugh when a wave would surprise Don from behind.

The boys kept busy most of the day playing in the sand with their toys or jumping in the water. Our rule for yesterday was only in the water up to their knees as that pull from the water was pretty strong. Jaxon and Wyatt loved jumping over the waves as they came in around their feet and would just stand there and yell into the ocean. Luke took a while to feel comfortable in the water, but once he decided it was fun, he just couldn't get enough of it.

On Sunday morning we woke up early and packed up our things from the hotel. We decided to visit the beach once more before we left. We wanted to show the boys the pier (or "bridge" as they called it). So after a walk up the pier we played in the water a bit more before we saw a family there searching for sand crabs. Luke decided he wanted to dig too, so Don showed him how to catch the crabs deep in the sand. None of the boys wanted to actually touch the sand crabs, but they loved watching Don get them.

After only a couple hours on the beach we baby powdered the boys down to get all the sand off and started our long car ride home. I got a little sun burn on my legs and Don on his stomach, but luckily the boys are burn free. It was a really good weekend.

It's too hot here

In California, it was so nice outside that Don and I drove around with our windows down, be danged with the fact that the kids whined about the wind for the first 5 minutes of it.

My hair was so soft and much more likeable even with salt and sand tangled up in it.

It is pathetic the boys got to run more from our hotel room than from our back door at home.

I miss my husband while he is at work.

So I will just sit and listen to the boys scream over their train, or now scream over freshly ruined train tracks. Mixed in with the sound of the air conditioning hum and Blue's Clues.


Calgon take me away.

Kid-isms

In the past few days I have really heard the changes in the boys speech and vocabulary. The subject of Belle comes up every once in a while and the things they ask and say touch my heart. The way they have grasped her passing is amazing and I have realized how much information these little guys retain.

While I was playing with Jaxon the other day he told me to "settle down minute, I need a break". Jaxon just asked me why am I putting the letters back (I was deleting some letters while typing) and then he told me "there are too many letters here".

In the car, Lucas was talking about how he was scared of the Dr looking in his mouth. Not to be left out, Jaxon said he was scared, too. Luke immediately called him out on it saying, "Come on, Jax. You not scared!".

Wyatt constantly talks about which colors everyone has on and has an amazing ability to remember the information (any information!) he has been told. He wanted a yogurt the other day. Since he just ate breakfast not even 10 minuted before, I told him he may have some after the garbage men leave. The garbage men were hours late, not coming until after 3, but as soon as they beeped the horn as they drove away, Wyatt looked at me and asked, "May we have yogurt now? The garbage men are gone today."

All three are getting into role playing. Usually it is along the lines of "you be Thomas, I'll be Percy and hey Jack-in (how they pronounce Jaxon) what train are you?" And role play they do. I love hearing them think of new ideas and love listening to how their minds work now.

Admittedly, their nonstop chatter can drive me inside out crazy some days. But if I take a minute to really listen to what they are saying, it makes me laugh about 70% of the time.

Like the other day when Jaxon heard Larry the Cable Guy on the radio and recognized Mater's voice. "Guys! You hear that, shhh. shhh! It Mater on the wadio!". About an hour later on the way home he spotted a palm tree and yelled, "goodness gwacious! Dats a big pineapple!".

Little things

After we put the kids to bed tonight, Don and I laid down on our bed, watching television. After only 10 minutes, we hear someone open the door and go into the bathroom. Only a minute later, we see a small silhouette in our door way. Jaxon asks us "what you guys doing?" "What you watching on tv?" Don answered we were about to watch him get back in his room if he didn't want to get in BIG trouble, and the little guy ran.

We have been playing a lot of what we call the "animal game". It is something I made up to help them stay awake on the 15 minute drive coming back from the pool. I am thinking of an animal... and then they describe the animal and someone else guesses it. Generally Wyatt comes up with great descriptions of animals like penguins, rabbits, ducks, etc. Lucas is getting the hang of it, but mostly makes up his own animals. OR keeps telling, "that not it" and 20 seconds later, when we have all given up, tells us it is the animal we have already been guessing. Jaxon always chooses a zebra (white and black stripe) or a crocodile (it's mouth goes like this *while his hands slap together*)

Randomly the boys will tell me "M is for mouth!" or "P is for puppy!" Just in the car, while watching tv or anywhere they hear a word a think about it, they will tell me what it starts with. The other day they were watching tv and I am not sure what they heard, but all the suddenly Wyatt blurts out, "B is for butt, Mommy!". Butt is a "potty word" in our house otherwise it would be talked about every minute of the day, but I just praised him on his sounding out skills and let it slide :)

Busy Days

With the temperature rising, the only solution besides running to the air condition of Sam's Club -is going to a local water park. It is the same one we discovered at the end of last summer, but this year the boys are able to enjoy so much more of it!

90% of the pool is only three feet deep, so the boys just wander all around it, chasing each other and finding new ways to put their faces in the water. Their favorite of the moment is to swim under my out stretched arm. They sleep so well after these days at the water park, and for that -Don and I are very thankful.

Summer nights

Today a few summer thoughts came to mind. This morning I felt the familiar scorch on my hands today as I went to wash them. Here in Las Vegas, we have to run the water until it is not scorching hot. Isn't that crazy?

Generally when I am on my way home from sewing at my moms, I like to drive with the windows down -which leads to turning the radio up, which in turn leads to a little car jam session. Tonight it is past 10 pm here, but still over 100 degrees outside. Having the windows down is like having a blow dryer on my hair the entire time. Thank goodness for air conditioning though so it is still enjoyable. Goodness knows I can not drive with the windows down during the day. At least one of the three boys would complain about the it being too windy no matter the weather outside.

I used to have a purple Amigo that we called Juanita. On nights that I am able to drive with the windows down and music blaring, her sale becomes my biggest regret. I really miss the independence and freedom that Juanita made me feel. I loved having the top off I miss looking into the backseat and seeing a thin layer of sand covering her purple interior.

Because of the passing of Michael Jackson, tongiht they had Billy Jean playing on the radio and I couldn't help but dance a bit to the song. Afterwards came Boys to Men and I felt between the songs, I was in a time warp. Imagine how shocked I was to look in the mirror and not see 18 year old me, but a thirty something -glasses wearing person -in a mom mobile. But I don't mind (much). What I did mind was when I came closer to my house and I put the windows up, and turned the music down on the radio and heard myself sing. Gah!

Omaha to Indiana

When we left Omaha the next morning, we knew the next stop would be Indiana by dinner time. But having a 20 hour drive the day before really took it's toll on us and we ended up sleeping longer than we thought we would and then the trailer took longer to collapse than we though it would as well. Combined with losing hours as we drove East, we were falling further and further behind.

Somewhere across Iowa we started noticing the windmills scattered across the horizon. As we got closer we couldn't believe the farm land out there would have all these huge modern looking windmills! They were huge and beautiful and gave us something to look at for the next hour or so.

We made a stop at one of my childhood homes in Illinois. The town was right off the freeway and we just wanted to do a drive by to take a picture of the house. We only lived there for five years, but the house was beautiful and we loved our neighbors, one who still lived there (the Strohman's)and the other (the Wright's) who had moved a few minutes away years ago. When we pulled on the street we saw Mrs Strohman outside of her house! My mom jumped out of the car so excited to see her and we all were hugging and saying our hellos when a car pulled on the street and it was Mrs Wright!


It was such an awesome surprise to get to see them when we were just expecting to be happy enough with taking a picture of our old house. Mrs Wright coming by was a complete chance happening and we were all so happy and giddy. About a half hour later we left with a beach ball from Mr. Wright's work and got back on the interstate with Indiana on the Tom Tom.

Just as it was getting dark we pulled up to my Aunt Bonnie and Uncle Harry's house. The boys were ready to break free out of the car and meet Jayson and Tyler, and get a little something in their tummies. After a delicious pizza dinner where the boys warmed up to one another, it was like a switch had been turned on. Outside they went and all five of them just ran around and around, wrestling, playing tag, hiding and scaring each other non stop for over an hour.

They laughed, giggled and screeched so loud I thought for sure the neighbors would complain (it was about 10 pm there!) but luckily no one seemed to mind. I loved that the boys had never met their cousins before but since they all knew they were family all five of them just opened up and had so much fun together. All the play time gave my mom a chance to catch up with my Aunt and Uncle, and Emily and I got to catch up too! The whole day had been full of driving, but seeing our old neighbors (who we hadn't seen since Don and I my wedding almost 10 years ago!), my Aunt and Uncle, and Emily and her family (who we had never even got to meet her family before!) made all the driving so worth while. What an awesome trip this was so far!

Our Belle Girl

An exact week ago today, we came home from our almost three week vacation. Our dog Belle stayed with my parents while we were gone. It just made more sense that way since it was her second home anyhow. They said she hadn't eaten well while we were gone and we all just figured she was sad that her people were gone without her. When we got home that night, I hand fed Belle some food that she ate just fine and taking note of how much food was in her dish, we decided to revisit the situation in a few days.

Belle is the best dog. She knows how to do so many things -of course the sit, roll over, play dead are easy ones. Fetch is one of her favorite, but she always impressed people when we said we couldn't reach something and she would bring it to our hands. Once I dropped the remote behind our bed and dang if that smart Belle girl didn't just run back and get it right away.

She was a daddy's girl- jumping in the pool with Don when ever she could- but she loved to play attack Don when we wrestled around and I would tell her to bite daddy's butt. She would nibble at his tush until he would jump and she and I would always win that way. She loved early morning cuddles and would scoot to Don's place on bed as soon as he would get out to work in the mornings.

We never not once had to worry about Belle with the boys. When they were babies they would just crawl all over her, pulling her fur and ears and she would just lick the baby food right off their faces in return. Not only off their faces though, I never had a crumb on the floor thanks to her help cleaning in the kitchen.

As the boys were between the ages of two and three Belle became one of their best friends, my mom commenting it was as if they were finally all of the same age mentality. The boys would hide Belles toys under their shirt and run through the living room screeching in suspense of her getting them and her tail wagging as she chased them.

Today it became clear to us Belle was not herself when Don tried to feed her a breakfast sausage and she turned her head. At the vets we were told she had a tumor and it had spread to her lungs as well. It didn't look good for her. We would have months at the most. We brought her home with the intention of just spoiling her rotten. To give her all the love and steak she could handle until she couldn't handle any more.

Unfortunately, a few more hours is all she had left to give us.

Our house is missing her already. My feet will miss her little body that I would normally complain was the cause of my funky sleeping positions. My face will miss her morning kisses. And my heart will miss the faithful, forever hopeful furry little girl that our Belle girl was to us.

Rest in peace, little Belle.

Just call me mom

The creative team I am on had an assignment/contest. It was to make an "all about me" page. The idea of those make me cringe because there is not much to "me" right now, but in the end I am pretty pleased with how it came out.



It reads:
When I set out to do an about me page, I was embarrassed that the main thing I do is be a mom. My life completely revolves around the four guys in my life- my husband and my boys. Getting the boys dressed in the morning, then what is for breakfast? If we have school that day, it is a bit of running around to get there on time. Some days we go to the park or to my moms house to give them a change of pace. Then everyday it is the same question of what to feed them for lunch and dinner. Followed by bath and bed time where I get ready to do it all over again the next day. Fill in the spots in-between with laundry and refereeing arguments, some cleaning and playing and that is my life right now.

But when I got to think about it, there is not any other place I would rather be right now. I am so glad I get to cuddle my little boys when they wake up in the morning and fill their need for loves during the day. Having them sit on my lap as I read Thomas the Train book for the fourth time in a row. To feel their little arms squeeze my neck when I get a hug is priceless. I get to watch them learn new words, ideas and concepts everyday and I hear the words,” I love you” at least one hundred times a day.

So while the question of “Who am I?” may not have such a big, important, dimensional answer that it could have ten years ago, it is the answer that I fought so hard to give. There is nothing more I would love to be at this point at my life, than a full time mom and a very blessed wife.

journaled July 2009


More of my scrap pages can be found by clicking here.

Las Vegas to Omaha

Our trip started out with a huge itinerary. 10 stops in less than three weeks! Don and I made reservations for most of our campsites well over 4 months ago and we have been over the route hundreds of times. Lists had been written, checked, and double checked. We had to think about things we may need out on the road that we have no need for here at home. Do you have any idea how many types of bug spray there are? Or the chemicals they put inside them? So many new things for us to learn.

Our trip began May 27th. We had taken my dad's Hummer for the third row option since my mom was tagging along for the first few days and our cars just wouldn't have fit more than five people. Our plan was to leave at dinner time and drive 20 hours straight from Las Vegas through Utah and Colorado and finally reach Omaha, Nebraska. We were driving straight to the Gaggiano side of my family.

The boys slept fine most of the first night. Except they woke up every time we had to stop for gas. It wasn't much of an issue for the most part -except a little after 3am when they all woke up and saw the sun rising somewhere is Colorado. After declaring "the sun's awake!" all three stayed up for a couple hours and one by one they would fall back asleep, although Lucas held out until past lunch time.

We got to Omaha at dinner time and the boys were ready to RUN! Luckily for us, KOA put us smack next to the playground. The boys ran up and down the gigantic slide and swung on the swing and hung from the bars as Don and I set up the camper. Right after dinner time Lisa, Lori, Lynn, Aunt Shirley and Uncle Matt joined us for a couple hours.

This part of the family is more of my Mom's generation, but it was so awesome to catch up with them (outside of Facebook) and get to know them all face to face.

Recouperating

Even though we have been home for a few days, -aside from Don going to work and coming home- we have yet to leave the house. The boys have been sick. First Lucas in North Caroline, then Jaxon in New Mexico and now Wyatt has been passed the cootie torch and is feverish and coughing. He will tell you that he is sick and is coughing and his throat hurts. It is amazing how much easier it is to have sick kids who can tell you exactly what is wrong with them.

Lucas still has a little cough at night, but he is feeling 100% better during the day. So much so that at night he is getting a little "froggy" with Don and I. He is bouncing/dancing on the couch like a little mad man. "Mom, did you see that?" he asks 100 times over as his body wiggles and slams upside down into the couch faster than I could imagine it could. He is pointing at Don and trying to boss him around and laughs at us when we say something we think is over his head. I wish I could bottle his little personality when he lets it shine. I miss it when he hides this spunk.

- - - Off the subject for a min but last night Wyatt peed in his bed. I was so tired, I slept through it all, but noticed the towels when I dressed them this morning. Tonight as we put them in bed I realized Wyatt's dirty sheets were still on his bed. When I was changing them and Don asked if Wyatt's blanket needed to be washed, I told him only if it smelled like (and I spelled it) p-i-s-s. As Don walked out to drop the blanket over the stairs, we hear Jaxon respell in his little voice, "i-s-s".

OOPS. - - -

So eventually, we need to go grocery shopping and maybe even out to a park or even Nana's. But for now we will just sit tight and enjoy being home while their little bodies heal up all the way.

We're BAAAACK!

Thank goodness we are home! A wonderful vacation was had by all, but on the last few days the boys have been sick and a bit harder to travel with. We saw well over 100 people in the last couple weeks and so appreciate the everyone took out of their schedules to hang out with us. Our family ROCKS!

I will have a vacation recap coming soon, just downloading all million and 42 pictures along with taking care of sicky boys and resenting the time the computer sucks from me when I am online. And unpacking, doing laundry and cleaning out cars. FOCUS Laura! :)

Be back soon!