The Evening Wasn't a Total Wash

After Craig got off work this afternoon, I picked up my holiday photo cards, mailed our Discover bill, drove all the way across town to pick up the other nine copies of the children's book I had printed up at a copy center on campus last night/this morning at midnight (I was AMAZED to remember how many college kids nights are just getting started at that time!), drove back across town to the mall to exchange the Eddie Bauer ice scraper that busted in my hand this morning as I was trying to get the plastic cover off. And all in under an hour. I'm so proud.



Besides the bathtub fiasco, I managed to get some decorating done. It's one of the things that gets me through this season. Lots of pretty, sparkly things. My twinkly lights stay up year round, but I did add the snowflakes. My snowflake collection is growing. Started out with just a few from Craig's Grandma's decorating stash and have added a couple of different styles each year as I find them. And all are up just in time for the snow tomorrow. I know. I should move to someplace warm. Hard to leave family, though. Maybe someday.



Getting lots of snow/rain/ice, from the sounds of it. Roads are supposed to be bad, so the boys and I are hunkering down. Daddy has to go to work no matter what. I told Kekoa we could have Snowman Soup tomorrow. It was take-your-breath-away frigid today, and I don't expect a change tomorrow. Didn't realize how frigid until I got out of the car at the gym this morning. When I left for the gym, I entered the car from the enclosed entry and garage. So I was clueless. But not for long. Hard to ignore cold.

Please Tell Me I'm Not the Only One

...who has had their boys poop in the bathtub. I think I must be using too many bubbles or they have too many toys or I'm not paying attention to their body language, because usually by the time I've figured out what's going on, a floater has bobbed to the surface and it's not the only one in the tub. This has happened more than once... ok, more than twice, but I'm not admitting to the final tally.

To say it grosses me out is an understatement. And the work it entails to clean everything up? Boys come out immediately. I have to Clorox all their tub toys... twice. And some I throw out. I have to Clorox the tub... twice. Then we fill a new tub and the boys go back in and get a thorough scrubbing.

I suppose it wouldn't be difficult for you to figure out how I spent my evening tonight.

Frosty the Snowman

Gavyn's reaction to the giant snowmen at the mall was similar to his reaction to seeing the pumpkins lit in October. His enthusiasm brought employees to their storefronts to see what was going on. Some were amused, but Craig noted others were clearly trying to decide if there was something not exactly right about the little man.

The last couple of days since coming home, I feel like I've been chasing my tail. The house is a pit, but as of today, I do have all the holiday shopping done and gifts wrapped and hidden. A relief to have that done before the first day of December arrives. Holiday cards will be ordered tomorrow. Would have been done today, but I wanted to see a proof before the printing started. Didn't like any of the holiday postage stamps, so we're going Disney this year.

I decided to do a few "homemade" gifts this year. Once completed, I think I'll probably have decided never to go that route again. The biggest project right now has been trying to get this children's book I wrote and illustrated with a good friend fifteen or so years ago printed up, laminated and bound. I've wanted to get that done before my boys get too much older and are out of the children's book reading stage. While I'm at it, I'm printing up one for my friend (the illustrator) and his family, grandparents on both sides, and one for each of the siblings (in-laws and out-laws). I discovered today I'm looking at spending around $15 a book - and that's without doing anything fancy.

The other project is making photo tiles (set of four) out of family photos to be used as coasters for the grandparents. I think they'll be really neat if I can get through the various complicated steps without messing anything up. Cross your fingers for me.

At this rate, it'll be a wonder if I'll ever get around to cleaning/picking up the house. Not that I'm complaining.

Race Day Photos

Here are my race day photos from a couple weeks back. Not sure how I managed to find the camera so many times, but it's kind of fun to see yourself in action. Yeah, I'm self-absorbed like that. I really wanted a picture of Julia and I running together, but I see that didn't happen. I know it's a money maker for the event photographer, but I usually buy a photo... just to make it worth their while, ya know. Any opinions about which one I should spend my money on this time?

One of several creek crossings:

1) 2)

Final stretch:

3) 4)

Coming in to the finish line:

5) 6) 7)

And heeeeeere's Julia!

Farewell to the Cows

We stopped over at Grandpa's cousin's house to visit the dairy cows before we left to come back home yesterday. Kekoa insisted on seeing these baby cows even though the temperatures were in the teens. After a few minutes, though, the allure gave way to his need to get back in the warm cozy car.

I Love You with All My Heart

In the last couple of weeks, Kekoa has been spontaneously throwing his arms around various individuals necks and exclaiming, "I LOVE you, Mommy!" or "I LOVE you, Grandma!" or "I LOVE you, Daddy!" or "I LOVE you, Grandpa!" I know how good it makes me feel, so it's fun to watch the others faces light up when I happen to witness him spring this delightful surprise on his unsuspecting target.

Last night, Grammy read us one last good night story before we went home. Fittingly it was I Love You with All My Heart.

Thanks, Grammy, for...

1) Your random checks on us through the night to make sure we were breathing.
2) Wiping our runny noses and worrying about our coughs.
3) Helping us build our houses.
4) Washing our clothes.
5) Changing our diapers.
6) Giving us baths.
7) Rocking us to sleep.
8) All the stories you read to us.
9) All the good food you fed us. We won't forget the yummy pie, cookies, cupcakes, and treats.

But most of all, thanks for...

10) All your generous hugs and kisses.

We LOVE you, Grandpa and Grammy!

Multitasking

Can't sleep, so I thought I'd post this picture and video clip of the boys enjoying one last tubby time at Grammy's house after their hair cuts last night. After a closer look, it seems I'll need to do some fixing on the front of Kekoa's hair this a.m. I could not get them out of the tub last night. They were having too much fun. When I finally did, the tub water level was half of what it was when they got in. I guess the floor will be clean.

Vacation's Almost Over

And it's probably a good thing for my waistline. I've had my fill of warm homemade chocolate pudding (heavy!) with homemade whipped cream on top - three days worth. I've had my fill of chocolate chip cookies - NOBODY makes them like mom/grandma does. I've made a DQ run with dad/grandpa. I've had my fill (well, I COULD have found room for more, but tried to show SOME restraint) of pumpkin crisp bars with whipped cream on top. Tonight, I capped off the whole fiasco with rich hot chocolate which of course wouldn't have been complete without the remaining homemade whipped cream and a little chocolate syrup on top for good measure. You could say I've filled my quota for binge eating/drinking for the next five years. It all tasted so good, but I'll be working hard in the next couple of weeks to burn it all off before we start with the Christmas binge eating. If you've been here before, you probably remember I have a problem saying no to food I really like.

Dr. Suess Pajama Team

Amy's Mulberry Street post reminded me of some of my favorite pajamas from Hanna Andersson. If I could afford it, I'd own matching pairs for each of us in every color. Here's the boys and I posing last November as the Dr. Suess Pajama Team.

Who Needs Toys?

The boys were playing with this cardboard box this morning. Gavyn's expressions are priceless. He's extremely animated. Kekoa stayed hidden most of the time, but did pop out at the end. The guns laying around were given to them yesterday by Joel, Landon & Shari. They shoot rubberbands.

Owl Moon

The weather has warmed up to the point Kekoa has been able to go out and help Grandpa Greg do his chores. The picture below illustrates just how big the pigs are he's been riding. We had him stand next to them and pet them. Not only are they taller than him, but Grandpa says they are pretty close to 800 pounds. As you can see, these are more pet pigs than they are market pigs.



First we go and feed the chickens some slop and check for eggs, then we go to get feed for the cows, and FINALLY it's time to ride the pigs. The Protector - Pup (the farm dog) - follows Kekoa wherever he goes.



We end the day with Grammy's 500th reading of Owl Moon. Outside the real moon is a big orange ball rising on the horizon.

Teething With Gavyn

Here is our Sunday afternoon with Joel, Landon & beautiful Shari. Why is Gavyn not wearing a shirt, you ask? Gavyn's teething. When he teeths, he gets his teeth in groups of four. He drools so much he soaks the front of his shirt. This annoys him. It's easier just to take the shirt off. He's happier, I'm happier.

The Destroyer

I remember LOVING to build with Lincoln Logs when I was a kid, so it's fun to see Kekoa getting his kicks out of them, too. I'm not sure what the total number of homes built has been since we arrived at the farm on Wednesday evening, but here is last night's tower. It doesn't stand too long before there's a change in the weather and a tornado named Kekoa brings everything to the ground. Not sure what it is about little boys and destroying things, but so far, we aren't the exception to the rule.

A Send Off to Remember

Glad we could entertain you with our warm send off this morning, Uncle Ryan. We miss you already. Hugs, Lani

Talking to Whomever Will Listen

Talking to Grandpa.



Talking to Kekoa behind the door, his imaginary friend to his left, and the Mommy behind the camera.

Stellaluna

Roots and Wings

Thanks, Mom & Dad!

My Mom Loves Me

Proof:

Circa 1966

Mom & Dad

Revised Evidence

I got my marathon picture in the mail and tried to take a picture of it. Anywayz... there's a legal new/higher resolution picture of Wanda and I running in the wee hours of the morning. This was in the first couple of miles of the marathon so we both still look pretty fresh.

My Animal Lover

Aunt Heidi took some of my favorite pictures of Kekoa last year when we celebrated Thanksgiving on the ranch. He's never run into an animal he doesn't love. This puppy was one of a litter that made himself Kekoa's constant companion that weekend. But he doesn't discriminate. Today, Grandpa Greg had him sitting on the back of a pig while it was eating. Oh the adventures we have while down on the farm!

Last year's Thanksgiving was also Gavyn's first. Daddy spent it in bed with the flu.