How Brady says, "I'm sorry."

The boys went to "alone time" a few minutes ago for fighting over where they would set up the Candyland board. Alone time is the precursor to timeout around here. We use it as a cool down period, not as punishment. They have to stay in their own rooms, but they can play and draw, whatever they want as long as they stay away from their brother.

Apparently, this whole "alone" thing wasn't sitting well with Brady today. After about five minutes, I looked up to see an envelope falling from the second floor. Air mail. Cindy opened it and her heart broke in about a million pieces. That little four year old sure has a way with markers and paper.

It reads, "I'm sad. By Brady." Then at the bottom, "I love you Mommy."

Look at that sad guy. Oh that Brady. He is too much.

Clone Wars

The dudes and I just got back from seeing Star Wars: Clone Wars. Great movie. For Star Wars nerds. Good thing the three of us are...which is why we let Mommy go shopping while we went to see the movie. We sat at the very top/back of the theater, a first for the boys. They liked looking down on everybody and seeing the movie come out of the projector. I liked that there weren't 195 people staring at my bald spot and squirmy boys the whole time. I lifted the armrests and the boys laid their heads on my lap towards the end. Nice. Can't beat cuddling up and watching a good movie.

First Game

The boys had their first game tonight. Two sons, one team...nice. They both did really well in the field and at the plate. It was hot as heck, and the game moved kinda slow, but they hung in there like champs. Most importantly they had fun. Lots and lots of fun.

Posers.

Here you go Jake.

Thanks, B...back at ya.

Jake hitting it so hard his pants got the sags.

If you don't know exactly what you're doing, at least know how to fake it.

Uhh...coach? Is this a position?

He was ready for anything hit towards the hot corner.

Even though, nothing was ever hit there.

This was one of those classic T-Ball moments. Jake holds his ground. Kids slides between his legs. Neither one budges for several seconds. Classic.

"Ting!"

2,4,6,8....

Good game. Good game. Good game. Good game.

Win or lose, tough guys hide their emotions. Kind of.

Postgame breakdown.

The Staple Gods

Last night at work, I got a little bored and started fiddling with my stapler. Then I noticed something awesome. Creepy awesome. I have no less than 3 staplers within arms reach for some reason, and all three have a different "face". I decided they were the Staple Gods and they must be appeased. So I appeased them by getting back to work...after taking their picture.

Snickerdoodles

Tonight Brady and I baked some Snickerdoodles. We tried a new recipe and they got two thumbs up from the boys! Thanks for being my baking buddy, Brady!

As great as the cookies are...I prefer these two little Snickerdoodles!

What Makes Mommy's Heart Happy

Happy Birthday Poppy!

Today is Jake and Brady's Poppy's birthday. Besides being an amazing father to me and my brothers, he is the BEST grandpa ever. He truly enjoys his nine grandchildren just as much as they love to be with him. For his birthday dinner celebration, Poppy chose to go to Peter Piper Pizza so he could watch his grandkids play and have a good time. He even joins right in and plays along! He is the perfect example of a father and grandfather. It takes a very special person to always do for others the way the boys' Poppy does. His happiness comes from making his family happy. Who could ask for a better father/grandfather than that? Happy birthday Dad/Poppy! The four of us love you more than you will ever know!

Poppy's boys

Rachel, Adam, and Jake

Jake playing with his awesome cousin Mike

Uncle Steve giving it a shot

The big kids getting in on the games

Brady and Adam boxing together

Aunt Erika, Rachel, and Hailey

Jake giving Baby Hailey some love

Great job on the cakes Grandma!

Poppy loves his new Ipod!

Poppy with his nine grandchildren (his biggest fans!)

2008 T-Ball

The boys have had a a few weeks of practices already, but since we didn't have any really good pictures I didn't post about it. We still don't have any good pictures, but what the heck? This is Brady's first time playing, and their first time on a team together. They are on the WhiteSox. Brady is so dadgum excited to go out there every time. Jake is happy as heck to have his little bro with him now. We are in a new league this year, real Little League! Not that we didn't like the previous league, but the level of coaching and structure is just awesome. Plus they make it fun for the dudes the whole time. They have four or five drills going on that they rotate the kids through. Since the kids are always busy, an hour of practice feels like fifteen minutes. They have all four teams in the league practice together so the kids all get the same level of coaching and get to know each other.

After tonight's practice, the boys were super hungry so we went out to eat with Ma and Poppy at 5 and Diner. They both worked hard at practice and so were rewarded with milkshakes. For some reason the milkshake guy decided to make the kids size = adult size so they were pretty dang happy when they saw that. After supper we went back to their house and watched a little Magorium and the boys cuddled for a bit. Tired, tired little t-ballers.

For those that will be in town next Saturday, feel free to come on out to their first game. It's at Greenway Middle School at 4:30 PM. GMS is at Greenway and 31st St. in North Phoenix. Hope to see you there.

Java-Doh

Brady made play-doh today in preschool. Not just any play-doh, they used coffee grounds and made it java-doh. Too cool. Brady was all into it. Being the little chef that he is, he stayed around the table long after the other kids got bored with it and left. He kneaded it, rolled it, "flatted it out", added flour as needed, and got it just right. Then he gave it a sniff and said, "Hey! This smells like sunflowa seeds!" Funny enough it smelled exactly like that. Who knew?

I feel so lucky to be able to share these cool little moments with the boys while they are at school. After my day yesterday, this was just what I needed to get my mind right. Thanks guys.





Ohhh...and PS, this is the first time I have seen a picture of B and been seriously struck by how much he takes after Cindy. Awesome. I hear it all the time, but for some reason I just never saw it so clearly.

In a perfect world...

...we'd sell our house, almost all of our possessions, store what we couldn't take with us, say "Peace out" to almost everyone we know and draw a map to where we're headed for the ones we really like. Where to? The Wilderness. Build a cabin. Do some hunting, some fishing, some farming. Maybe adopt a few orphaned bear cubs and a raccoon. Eat nothing but fresh everything. Walk in the wildflowers. Battle a cougar. Befriend an old mountain man and his stubborn mule. Kick it really old school with the boys and my hot wife who makes biscuits non-stop for no reason other than we like us some biscuits. You know...just live the life man. Live the life.

City life sucks. Just had to get that off my chest before I go to sleep tonight.

Just One More....

Ok, just one more post about my big guy. Just a comparison to see how he has grown over the last 6 years.....

September 15, 2002 - 8 lbs. 6 oz. 21 inches long

September 15, 2008 - 73 lbs. 4 ft. tall!

Six Years Old

This might be the most stretched out birthday in blog history. Jake is worth it though. Two minutes ago I was walking through a Nissan dealership parking lot when Cindy's water broke. Not like the movies, it was more of a trickle...but still. It seems like it just happened. The moment I realized it was all for real. I went from being Mauri, to Daddy in a matter of hours. Crazy.

Now that little hairball is six. He has fully developed thoughts, but like me he internalizes 90% of them. Unlike me, the ones he lets you in on are actually brilliant and deeply insightful. He is my better, in all categories. Which is what I always wanted. I am so proud of that big man.

Anyhoo, about his big day. He got up at 5:25 AM to take a leak, and since I am on his same schedule, I was able to be the first in the house to wish him Happy Birthday. I tucked him back in and gave him a kiss. He said, "Thanks Daddy...uhh buhh buh luh...zzzz. Sleepy little dude. Later on, he and Cindy went and got a ton of donuts for his birthday bash at school. Brady and I showed up for lunch and the singing of Happy Birthday/Donut Feast. He was one happy little dude.

The rest of the day flew by. We came home and opened his presents from the two of us and B. He got just what he wanted, then proceeded to play Wii, for and hour and a half solid. Next it was off to Islands for what has become our little birthday tradition. Not for the burgers and fries, but for what comes free at the end. The ginormous brownie ice cream thing. Once again they polished off the whole thing. It's not often we let them have that much sugar, so they really get after it. Amazing and disgusting job boys.

Right now, I have a four year old and a six year old sleeping about 12 feet above me. In a month it will be a five and six year old. Holy moly. Life is happening too quickly but I'm loving every minute of it.

Happy Birthday Jake. I love you bigger than the sky, deeper than the sea, around the moon and back a thousand times, and always...no matter what you do or what anyone does to you. Forever my son.

He's not so good with the whole "Look at me" thing. I have no idea where he gets that from.

Cute squared.

Jake and his best buddy Isaiah.

He busted me out trying to take a candid shot.

Mrs. Wolkis gave him a ton of awesome presents. She already had his heart, now she has his mind. Yikes.

Months. I have have been hearing about this game for months. Now I get to, I mean he gets to play it.

Coloring books weren't cutting it tonight so the boys watched some Nacho scenes on our phones.

Flaming gobs of sugary awesomeness. With a cherry on top.

After ten seconds.

After ten minutes.