Cowboys. Snails. Tickets

Yesterday Jake's class had a Teddy Bear picnic in honor of Teddy Roosevelt. They all got to dress up like cowboys and cowgirls. Pretty awesome.

Me and B showed up a little late, so we got to hang out with some snails. I don't know what is going on at the school right now, but there seems to be a general snail theme happening. Maybe the French are taking over. Who knows?

The boys are big fans of the crawly stuff so they had a great time playing with the little slimy suckers. Again, the teacher of the year hits a home run with our kids. Big surprise.

Back in Mommy's room, Brady got to do what has become his "thing" on Friday's. Cindy's students earn tickets during the week for being good little people. Those tickets are entered into a raffle of sorts on Fridays for which they get to choose a little treat. The kids really look forward to the whole situation, but Brady friggin' loves it. He gets to draw out the tickets and call the numbers. In other words, he runs the show. Something he rarely gets to do with big Jake around. It's one of the funniest and cutest things in the world to hear B scream out the numbers. Plus the look on the kids faces when he strolls in to the room is priceless. He is five and already a hero to a bunch of kids.

Great Grandpa Voeller

Last week, the world lost a great man. Cindy's Grandfather, the boys Great Grandfather, and my friend, went home after 95 years of adventure. We loved this man with all our hearts. This was a real man. He loved his family, he worked hard, and loved his family. Yeah I wrote it twice. He loved everyone that much. He was a proud man and rightfully so. He was braver than you, and twice as smart. He was stubborn and set in his ways, because his ways worked.

I am so thankful to God for letting him stick around long enough to have a close relationship with the boys. In this World, the boys can use all the role models they can get. He was one of the best. The man smiled for everyone, smiled big for his children, bigger for his grand children, biggest for his great grand children. He loved having little ones around him and I am glad my boys were there all the way to the end. I hope they remember their time with him the last few weeks as they grow older. He was in rare form and quite the character. Singing, dancing, telling jokes.

I know Cindy will want to say something later so I won't go any further. I will leave you with a bit of my favorite poem that has been on my mind since he passed:

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Well, hello there.

Yeah it's been a while. I am at work on a break so this will be short and maybe not so sweet. We've been busy and then busier. The boys are doing out-friggin-standing. We both still have our jobs. Our ten year anniversary is rapidly approaching. The dudes are going to start flag football soon. There have been illnesses and rapid recoveries. New teeth. Bad words. Bumps. Bruises. All kinds of stuff.

All this and more I will cover (with pictures) later this week if not later tonight when I get home. I know you are all waiting on the edge of your seats and the tips of your tippity toes with baited breath and butterflies in your stomach (Seriously. What have you been eating?). Most likely, you will be disappointed by my efforts. Hopefully at least, you will be slightly amused. Until then, I will leave you with one of the boys' favorite movie lines of the moment;

Mickey : "See that? This is the favorite thing that I have on this Earth. And Rocky Marciano give me that. You know what it was? His cufflink. Huh? And now I'm givin' it to you and it, it's gotta be like a, like an angel on your shoulder see? If you ever get hurt and you feel that you're goin' down this little angel is gonna whisper in your ear. It's gonna say, 'Get up you son of a bitch 'cause Mickey loves ya!"

That is just a taste ladies and gents. Just a taste.

Happy Birthday Mauri

(not the best/most current picture...sorry!)

Tomorrow is Mauri's birthday. The boys and I spent some time coming up with a few things to put a smile on his face tomorrow and make him feel special. I wish we were going to be able to spend all day together as a family, but we will make due with the time we have.

This will be the 17th birthday I have been lucky enough to celebrate with my better half, and I would have to say he gets better with age! He is an amazing husband and a better father than I could have ever imagined. He is my best friend and my rock. He deserves more than I could ever possibly give him, and I am blessed to say I am his wife.

Mauri, thank you for always putting me and the boys first. Thank you for keeping us laughing and for helping me keep things in perspective. I'm glad there is a day to celebrate YOU. Happy birthday, Sweetheart. I love you more than ever and I always will!

Ice Cream MAAAAAAN!!!!

The boys have been chasing this guy out the door for a few weeks now. As far as I can tell, El Jibarito translates to mountain man. Well, the mountain man is a cool guy, but he sometimes doesn't give the dudes enough time to get some crazy clothes on and run out the door. He must get lost in the killer music and just keep cruizin'. We caught him today and the boys ran out in their finest self-dressed fashions. Mmmm...ice cream before lunch. That's a double treat.

I may be addicted to black and white....stay tuned.

Yaaayyy...Uggghhh

Picture of the Day

Sharing a little baking secret...

Happy New Year!

We had a nice, quiet New Year's Eve. Daddy had to work for a little while, so the boys and I enjoyed some dinner together, complete with a Sprite toast to the New Year. After dinner, the boys tied their blankets around their necks and transformed into superheroes while they waited for Daddy. To top off the evening, Daddy brought ice cream home and the 4 of us played our two new board games we got for Christmas. The boys didn't quite make it to midnight, so I got to enjoy some time alone with my wonderful husband and ring in the new year. Happy New Year everyone! May it bring you all health and happiness.

Cheers!

Happy 2009!

Taking care of a little business

Jake had Mint Chocolate Cookie and Brady had plain Vanilla along
with a small Root Beer Float (he couldn't decide which one he wanted)!

Fun with Clay

For Christmas, Granny and Grandpa sent the boys some great clay kits where they can make ships from Pirates of the Caribbean. This past week they had a blast putting them together and they are now proudly displayed on the shelves in their rooms. Mommy is missing from the pictures because I am apparently too worried about details and was taking too long. So since Daddy gave better assistance, I moved behind the camera. I had just as much fun watching my 3 guys work on these together. Thank you Granny and Grandpa...we love you!

Our Other Christmas Eve

Every year we spend Christmas Eve with Great-Grandpa Voeller. Unfortunately, Great-Grandpa wasn't up to it this year, after recently fracturing a bone in his arm and being in the hospital for his heart the weekend before Christmas. So last Sunday, he had us over to celebrate. Better late than never! We are so glad he is feeling better. Thank you Great-Grandpa and Grandma Bernice...now our Christmas is complete.

The boys having some fun on Great-Grandpa's patio

J & B giving Great-Grandpa a special gift

Three handsome guys

Thank you Grandma Bernice!

Great-Grandpa with 6 of his great-grandchildren

Our fun day really wore Baby Hailey out!

When you wish upon a vapor trail...

Try as I might, I cannot convince the boys that when they look up into the sky during the daytime and see a vapor trail from a jet, that it is not in fact a shooting star. This is the one time they totally disregard my vast jeopardy champion knowledge, and go with their gut feeling. As soon as they see one, they make a wish (out loud) for whatever it is their heart desires. Lately, it has been to have both super-hero and super-villain powers...all of them.

Today, Jake and I made a run to the bank. He brought his Ipod and was jamming and singing in the back seat. In the middle of the song he saw a "shooting star". Without breaking rhythm he sang, "...I wish for my brother to have all of the super-hero and super-villain powers." Then he went right back to the verse of the song. Too cool.

I am now of the opinion that as much as I know, I have forgotten the magic of imagination. Thanks for the reminder Jake.