Super Heroes

This evening Makade gave Kellan another look into the wonderful world of imagination. Seeing Kellan carrying his often dubbed "Linus Blanket", Makade took the blanket and tied it around Kellan's neck, instructed him on some cliche super hero moves, and announced that Kellan was now a SUPER HERO! Hearing this did something to Kellan. I watched his face change as he realized he now had an important title. Kellan liked the title so much, he darted around shouting, "Supah Hewo! Supah Hewo!" He'd continue until his make-shift cape would fall off then he'd run over to Makade or me to have it tied back on then continue on his super hero journey.

Watching the boys interact; an 8 and 2 year old both mesmerized by the idea that a blanket had such magical powers. Enthralled by the blanket that helped this little guy have the confidence to save others, to serve others, or to just stand there in a picturesque stance with hands on hips and looking into the beyond. It was quite fun to see how we can perceive ourselves on a day to day basis. Seriously, we all have our capes (or should I say Power Suits) that make us feel more confident when worn or carried. But what amazed me most was watching my boys try to create a world that, quite honestly they already are heroes in. For in my world, they are my heroes. Every time they share a smile or a laugh with me, I am saved.

How blessed I am to be surrounded by 3 little-men heroes, 1 princess, a Knight-in-Shining Armor. .....and another little super hero on the way.

Girl Trip!!!!

The most popular sentence of the trip....

"Mom, can we go swimming?!"
Sitting on a tour boat, 'The Dixie Belle' waiting for more passengers to come.
No body else came so they cancelled the trip.

Mother and Daughter in front of the London Bridge.

T in front of the London Bridge....in 107 degree weather.
Can you tell what she's thinking?! (Something like.....)
"Hurry up and take the picture so we can go get a SnoCone!"

Tucked in for the night.

Corban's Cowboy Day

Friday was Corban's Western Day at his preschool. Because of my frantically rushing around to get ready for Tarryn's and my girl trip and Brandon having work, we asked Uncle Zane to go hang out with the cowboys and girls. Zane came and picked Corban up wearing his own 10 gallon hat and Corban couldn't have been more excited.
Corban had a blast singing in a round-up, dancing in a hoe-down, story telling around the flashlight-and-tissue-paper-made-campfire, and eating flap-jacks (pancakes) for a snack. Thanks Uncle Zane for hanging out with the cowpokes at Corban's preschool you made Corban's day truly special!

That's logic for ya.

I took Tarryn to Olive Garden for a special one-on-one date. While we were waiting for the food to be brought out, Tarryn began unrolling her napkin wrapped utensils. Picking up the fork, she pondered aloud, "Hmmm...that's weird, this fork only has three pokey things instead of four."
To which I replied, "Yeah, that's a bit unusual I guess."
"Well, shouldn't it be called a threek instead of a fork then?" remarked my clever 10 year old.

Now why didn't we have logical children make up the vocabulary for the world?!

Baby Jack's Number

While Corban was holding Baby Jack today (with help of course), it was so cute to hear him coo at the infant with such sweet enthusiasm. Even cuter was his asking Jack's mom, Kayley, "What number is he?" To which she replied, "18 days old!" The look on Corban's face was priceless with the knowledge that to a 4 year old time is based on numbers only. Not increments of minutes, days, weeks, or years. To him, Jack must have sounded like he was older than him, let alone older than his own big sister!

See! Here's proof he's not evil.

While Brandon and I were tucking the boys into bed tonight, Corban asked to give me a kiss on my forehead and while doing so I said, "You are the best kids ever! Every last one of you!"
To this, Makade replied with, "And you guys are the best parents I've ever had!"

.....errr Buddy, we're the ONLY parent's you've ever had!

Super Rivals

Have you ever listened to a conversation from your kids and thought....'I could make this into a book!' ? Well my mind certainly went wandering this afternoon while in the car after hearing a comment from Tarryn in the back seat. My thoughts started drifting to some fun story where the super hero and villain happen to have been siblings. Can you hear the storyline of the arguments that would ensue as they were children before they were destined rivals?

Now; I am in NO WAY saying that Makade is going to end up a sinister evil-doer, but this is what I heard in the car that got my mind reeling...

"Mo-om! Makade is annoying me with his evil laugh again!"
*...And Makade confirms her accusation with another menacing laugh*

***Nobody steal my idea! I thought of it first!!! :)

Have you missed us?!

This household has been mighty busy the last little bit with our new guest in our home. My mother has come to stay for a while (after being released from the hospital) to re-gain her health and her mental, emotional, and spiritual drive to continue on. She's doing really well and the kids are accepting our new guest more and more each day.

To compensate for a new guest moving in on short notice, there's been a lot of rearranging of our own personal things to make Grandma feel welcome. Brandon's and my office has now been moved up into our bedroom and there is an island (more of a peninsula) of boxes protruding into the middle of the room that we have no idea what to do with. (I think purchasing some shelving units will be a must in the near future.)
...Long story, short; I now have no idea where the software is to my cameras so I still haven't been able to download any pictures. I've got birthdays and holidays and all sorts of other fun pictures I'd love to share and I am at a standstill until this mess gets organized in our room.

I miss having my outlet of logging the progress of our little family so this had better become solved soon!

Boy! She's quick!

Often I find myself trying to intervene or referee an argument between the two eldest children of the house. More often I find myself attempting new tactics trying to help them to see that both of them are in the wrong and that both of them have a reason to feel hurt as well as both of them needing to apologize.

While trying a new angle 1 day before Makade's birthday, I decided to work in some roll play and have each of them pretend to be the other to help them see why they had behaved in such a way to hurt their sibling. They were up for it and to my surprise Makade seemed overly enthusiastic, "Ha! That means I get to be the oldest of the family now!"
Tarryn, stunned long enough to blink retorted with, "Oh yeah, That means I get to have a birthday tomorrow."

Knock Knock...

While driving in the car one day, Corban and Makade, sitting on each side of Kellan, were telling knock-knock jokes to one another. And since their knock-knock jokes really don't make a whole lotta sense, I try to tune them out. But among the midst of the confusing "humor", I heard a little voice....

Kellan: Kno-Knock.......kno-knock......
Me: Who's there?
Kellan: kno-knock.
Tarryn and Me: Who's there?
Kellan: kno-knock.
Tarryn: knock-knock who?
Kellan: kno-knock ME!
Tarryn and I giggle (and obviously fed him to tell another one)

Kellan: kno-knock.
Tarryn: Who's there?
Kellan: kno-knock.
Tarryn: knock-knock who?
Kellan: Listen a me! (...something that Corban kept saying to Makade to allow him to have a turn in saying a knock-knock joke.) kno-knock.
Tarryn: who's there?
Kellan: kno-knock
Tarryn: kno-knock who?
Kellan: kno-knock a door.

....So now I have 3 boys that don't understand knock-knock humor. Yet, at least my youngest understands the concept. ...and it's so darn cute to hear a 20 month old attempting knock-knock jokes.

Good Point.

I teach the sunbeams (3 year olds) class in church each Sunday and often I find it a challenge. Today, being Easter, was filled with special moments that made me smile. A cute little highlight was when Matthew asked after being told to be reverent in Jesus' house, "If this is Jesus' house, where's his bed?!"

Even better was the answer a fellow 3 year old gave him of, "Hello! It's up stairs!" (Pointing to the sky in a church that has only one floor.)

Tuesday Confessions

You know that saying,

"Careful what you wish for..."

Well I got it, and it's NO fun!

Give me a break!

We've had a recent visitor in our home. Not Santa. Not the Easter Bunny. Not even a Leprechaun! We've had this horrible guest who doesn't seem to want to leave called Influenza. Apparently we've made her feel quite comfortable because she seems apt to stick around for a while. We aren't certain who invited her in, but Influenza started bunking with Tarryn on Saturday the 21st, and she's been here ever since. Influenza has now decided to bunk with Corban and he is miserable.



Last night while tucking Corban in to bed, he said, "Mom?"

Thinking his next sentence would imply he wanted me to sing to him, I replied with, "What hon?"

"Can you give me a break?" asked Corban.

Makade, lying in the top bunk started chuckling and I couldn't help but giggle either thinking, Of course he'd like a break from being sick, and I'd like someone to give me a break too. "You need a break?" I asked.

"Yes. Stop laughing Makade! I need a break." was Corban's response.

"Exactly what do you need a break from?" I said while running thoughts of his recent daily lifestyle of watching Disney movies or playing the Wii while he's been ill.

"I need a break right here." and he pats his hand on his lower back.

"Oh! You want me to pop your back?!" As the realization hits of his back must be hurting with the flu and lying around all day.

After twisting his hips one way and his shoulders the other, we got a 'pop' out of his back and he was able to go to sleep, but not before I got the predictable question of being asked to sing a lullaby.



As for Influenza, we are going to make it mighty uncomfortable around here as I'm inviting a new guest into our home named Clorox.

Tuesday Confessions

I'm probably the only woman in this state

who does NOT get in to

SCRAPBOOKING!

...And I'm okay with that.

...And my husband is okay with that.

...And our sons' future wives will have to be okay with that.

...And Tarryn can do what she wants with that.

...And that's that!

Tuesday Confessions

According to Tarryn, my having two names;

Amanda and Summer

Makes me just like Hannah Montanna.

(I just wish I had her paycheck.)

Tuesday Confessions

When I feel rebellious
I drink milk from the jug.

Five Sense Friday

Seeing as how everyone but me has been sick this past week rating from mild cough and sinus trouble to full blown croup, most of my five senses have been dealing with yucky things. I tried really hard to find other things, but I just wouldn't be being true to my family, myself, and the 'times' if I didn't add the sicko stuff so here's your warning:The last set of pictures are a bit gruesome and something a mother feels shunned for if she allows her child to go out in public like this. Note: This was in my home.....yes I realize I'm putting it *out* in public.

ON WITH THE SENSES~~~~~

For anybody who has driven in the front of a car with a video device playing in the back knows how you get to appreciate the hard work of the sound-effects people. I'm often amazed at how many of these sounds go unnoticed until you can't see the screen. I'm also amazed at how many GREAT LINES end up missed by the deceit of allowing our eyes to take control of our mind. First sense: Hearing. Since I can't take a picture of 'sound' you get to see my sick boys vegging while we're running some errands this morning. While they are watching Madagascar, I get to hear a plethora of funny lines from Chris Rock and Ben Stiller. No one worry. We were at a stop light. I was not driving while taking this picture. ....And shame on you for thinking it!

Next sense: TASTE. Come on. Admit it. Your mouth is salivating looking at these pics of Kellan; and your inner-child really wants to simply eat the chocolate frosting off of the top of the doughnut like him and not care what is all over your mouth. Doesn't he make that look good?! ...Just don't tell Brandon that he ate it in the car.

The one sense that I wish I wouldn't have such *surprises* by is sight. Last week it was snow after a week's worth of warm weather. This week it's my daughter and her friend. Have you ever seen those sticky gummy-substance-type glass/door/wall decorations? The kids' pediatrician office has some for every holiday. Have you ever seen children (sweet little girls no-less) throw them as high as they could onto a wall adjoined to a vaulted ceiling?! Well there they are. Stuck on the highest part of our wall right in the front entrance for all to see. In case you can't see... they are supposed to be flowers. Tarryn bought them in the dollar section at Target. Makes me wonder why children don't have the capability to do follow-thru thinking. "If I do this, how am I going to get it back down?" Oh ya. It would take the fun out of being a child.

For this next one is it cheating if I use 'feel' for touch? Wait. I'M MAKING THE RULES ON THIS! So....It counts. Feeling means being touched by the heart right?! So it's not cheating.

Now that we've got that established. (Can you tell it's late?) My heart feels so sad to see my littlest ones so ill. It's heart breaking to see your little guy's eyes running and seeing them mope around with no life in their footsteps. I feel for the little tykes.

Okay.... Here's your last warning. ......

The last sense to cover is smell. But see, there isn't a whole lot of smelling going on in our home. The majority of the family's sniffers are either clogged up or have gunk running out. Some day Kellan may want these burnt and I'm okay with that. Since there is more gunk than I can handle and that really is what I've been dealing with, it's going in my senses post. Under the difficulties of smelling anything and the sadness that comes with it. (...and yes. I had wiped his nose in between these pictures. The snot is relentless!)

Tuesday Confessions

Really, it's either feast or famine around here when it comes to blog posting. There are either loads of fun things going on and funny experiences, or it seems our family is stuck in a monotonous rut where every day seems about the same as the last. I feel like we're in the latter.

So... to keep up my blogging skills, I'm going to start 'Tuesday Confessions.' Why Tuesday?! Why not?! Okay, it's because I wanted to split my week up and Tuesday seemed like a great day for being far enough away from Five Sense Fridays.

Here's my confession for the day...

When I was young and didn't have a care of what it would do to my hips, belly, and thighs, I lived off of Reeses Pieces Sandwiches.

White Bread. Peanut Butter. Chocolate Frosting.
(Don't knock it till you try it.)

Can I just say how much I adore Corban's school?!

This is an excerpt from Corban's school news letter:

In the fourth grade, the students read about Tommy, who rakes leaves for a neighbor all day. His younger brother rakes with him for an hour, but then plays with the neighbor's dog for the rest of the day. The neighbor pays Tommy ten dollars and the little brother one dollar.

When Tommy gets home, his mom says, "Tommy, you have to share the money equally with your brother. He's little and couldn't work as hard. He'll feel bad if you don't share with him."

In this fictional scenario, the students considered the values of justice, self-reliance, and productivity. If such incidents become routine, what happens to Tommy's motivation to continue working when his hard-earned money is given to his brother who does not work? And what happens to Little Brother when he learns that he doesn't need to work-- he can just rely on Tommy for his money?

Forcing Tommy to give the money to his little brother ignores his right to property--to keep what he has earned. When we take earnings from people, we constrict the right to their property.

It may seem that his little brother gets the best deal. But in actuality, if the leaf-raking day is repeated, he will not develop his self-worth and the deep joy of being self-reliant.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Guess, President Obama didn't learn this in his school. 'Nough said.

The logic of a child...

Our state has finally made it to the point of that "certain number" of popularity when 1 area code for the 'area' isn't enough. We have now made it a necessity to dial a 10 digit number even when calling your next door neighbor. Believe me (you big state people), this is a big deal that people around here aren't happy about. Including Tarryn.

The first I heard about this was last Sunday at dinner with my in-laws. I was annoyed and Tarryn could tell so she asked what was wrong. I tried to explain that we needed to now dial 3 extra numbers in front of the other seven numbers and those 3 numbers were constant which involve a five, a four, and a zero. (numbers were changed for safety reasons)

Apparently she didn't like the idea of so many numbers and so in her own logical frustration blurted out, "That's dumb! Why can't we just dial a nine?!"

"What do you mean, Tarryn? Like when you dial out of your school?" I asked.

She replied in a huff, "No. Like five and four make nine so why can't we just dial nine?"

How do you reason with that logic?!

Five Sense Friday

I can't promise this will happen each Friday. (We all know what happened with Project 52. *blush*) But I'd like to try my hand at spending a day a week enjoying my world through my senses that I often take for granted. I think this will be fun to try to come up with images of everyday things...and some not-so-every-day-things (like eggs dropping on your rug).

If any fellow bloggers would like to join me on my Five Sense Fridays (or Tuesdays, or any day it gets done), I'd love the company and mental support and inspiration!

You can imagine my surprise when I woke up, after a beautiful 60 degree yesterday, to find this sight! My eyes were in shock!!!

Another first this morning was opening the refrigerator to the scent of wonderfully ripe strawberries. (That made the offending alarm of the snow a little less harsh.)

While the kids were in school, I practiced the piano and did a mighty fine job of making sure my hand placement was correct since I'm teaching myself to play the piano from Tarryn's lesson books. My treble-clef is fine (being that I used to play the accordian *hides head in hands*), it's the bass-clef that needs help. Touching those keys makes my heart soar.

My heart did the opposite of soaring, and sunk when I heard that all-to-familiar sound of an egg breaking when my adorable nephew decided to not get the dip out of the fridge for his chicken nuggets, but to try a hand at making his own.... On the rug.

But everything has ended well since Makade and I have tasted the fruits of our labor and enjoyed a chocolate chip cookie...or two.

Cut! (that's a wrap)

Did you know that there are superstitions regarding babies-first-haircut?! I found this out the first time I took Tarryn in when the hair-dresser was thrilled to be doing her first cut. She told me it brings the person (performing the cut) good luck and she was ecstatic to be the recipient of good luck in her life at that moment in time.

The girls at Cookie Cutters must have no trouble walking through life with sunshine galore and maybe even a bluebird on their shoulder. These wonderful gals deal with kids and young ones all day long! On the 20th, Ashley got the 'blessing' of cutting Kellan's hair for his first professional cut.

Psst....I'm sneaky and make sure that I am the first one to cut each baby's hair (since Tarryn) because I need all the luck I can get!

Anyway, it's not like Kellan has a lot of hair, it's just that he needed things evened out. He (predictably) was an angel while Ashley cut his hair. They make you feel like a star at Cookie Cutters and give you the royal treatment. Kids get to pick a movie (Kellan watched Dora), then pick an automobile to sit in (the fire-truck), and after the cut (or during in Kellan's case) they get to pick a balloon with (can you guess?) a cookie cutter attached to the string so it doesn't fly away. This is my kind of place when I don't have to fight my children to get their hair cut. And that's a wrap!

He even got a certificate for his first professional cut. How cute! ~~~Too bad I don't scrap-book.

Splish Splash...

They were takin' a bath... Long about a Saturday 'night.
Rub-a-dub, just relaxin' in the tub, thinking that their hair was alright.

Love at first sight.

After we went to the aquarium, we took the kids out to dinner at Red Robin's. Kellan was so captivated with his "boon" (balloon) he refused to let it go once we got home.

....Sooooo he took it in the bath with him (and we allowed it). ....And he watched a movie on the projector while holding it. (Try getting a kid dressed in pajamas while not letting go of a balloon string!) I'm just happy the balloon was forgotten half way through the movie so we didn't have to fight with him when it came to bedtime.

Somethin's Fishy

What a trip to our local aquarium! It never seems to get old seeing an entirely different world through glass windows. It's been a while since I've put up some pictures, and I'm REALLY excited because I was actually daring enough to take my new camera out of the house!!! (Yes, I've had Canon the Camera for 3 months, and it's never even been in my yard! I'm too nervous about having something so nice.) It was no surprise when Brandon wanted to take my temperature to make sure I was feeling okay. :)

Enough boring you with words. Here's some pictures from our aquarium trip...

Kellan scouting out some trout to shoot?!

Makade driving a boat. Eek!

Who's in this aquarium?

Looking over the side of the dock

Watery reflection

Look hard. There really are jelly fish in this tank, I promise.

This octopus has loads of 'pusonality'! He loves to play with a Mr. Potato Head!

Corban found Nemo!

Makade spying another Clown Fish.

Last time Tarryn pet one of these rays, her arm and hand broke out in a rash.

This time, she's keeping her hands to herself.

Makade's under-the-sea love, SHARKS.

Tarryn showing Kellan the shark and sting-ray tank.

Finally, a tank that's Kellan's height!

Crawling through man-made land coral as an end to our aquarium trip.

Potty Talk

We've discussed the wonderful world of potty training before. Even now that we're pretty much finished (minus night time pull-ups), conversations centered around the toilet are frequent in this household. Take for instance, after Corban's finished and is flushing the toilet; it's quite common to hear from his little mouth, "Bye bye pee pee! See you later!" I personally don't want to see it later, but it's cute of him to send it off with a sweet bon voyage.

Using public restrooms are an entirely different encounter for new potty users and brings a whole new level of fun for moms. Last night in the restaurant's bathroom, Corban and I got to experience this.:

Corban: Before getting onto the toilet, Mom, how do you flush it?

Me: You don't Corban, it flushes by it's self.

Corban: What?! But where is the button?!

Me: There isn't a button. Let's go potty and then you'll see.

Corban: After finishing his business he's still looking for the button while still sitting down, I don't see the button!!!

Me: Jump down and the toilet will flush by it's self.

Corban: After jumping down and working on pulling up his pants the toilet flushes, "Whoa!"

Me: See Corban, the toilet knew you got off so it flushed!

Corban: Oh!!! looking at the toilet, Thank you Toilet!!! Speaking out of the side of his mouth in a voice not quite his own, he made the toilet's reply,
Toilet: Your Welcome.

The lessons we learn....

Makade had a special play date today with a friend he's had since preschool. Daisy has become a great friend to our entire family, although Corban had no recollection of who she was so I decided to introduce her to him while we were at the table eating lunch.

Me: Corban, do you know who this is?

Corban: Nope.

Me: This is Daisy.

Corban: addressing his new acquaintance.... Daisy....

Daisy: What Corban?

Corban: I love you.

Giggles all around the table along with a couple 'ahhhhs'.

It always amazes me to see how open hearted children can be towards everyone no matter color, size, height, ability, or disability. At what age is it that we start making judgements regarding? What age do we start deciding that we have the right to make preconceived ideas toward another human being? What makes us think we have the right to have opinions on others that we do know and are past preconceptions?

The very same day, earlier in the morning at the breakfast table, we had Tarryn's friend Morgan over. Morgan has been around many of time for Corban to have ideas of what type of person she is. And sometimes, quite frankly, she's not the nicest of friends; other times she's the best.

Corban: Morgan. getting louder as the addressed party continues to ignore him.... Morgan. Morgan. MORGAN!

Morgan: WHAT!

Corban: I love you.

Morgan: Softening her tone and a big smile emanating across her face... Thanks Corban!


Have you ever watched kids while at a park or play land? They are happy as can be when someone new comes to play. They welcome them and make up a new game to play with them. They don't even have to know each other's names and are okay that their new *friend* doesn't know theirs. They don't think about what that person's opinion of them is. Kids don't care if this is a lasting relationship and if they are waisting their time. They don't come to play with fears of getting hurt. They are there with one objective... to have fun with that person at that moment in time.

Lets take a lesson from them... Enjoy your time and spend it wisely with the people that move in and out of your world. Don't worry if they are here to stay, or if they are a grain of sand that will quickly slip through the funnel of an hour glass. Enjoy them, learn what you can from them, for everyone has good in them to learn from. Without these connections, we most assuredly would be alone and wouldn't be able to grow or feel self worth.

Next time I go to the store, you can bet I'll be talking to the person waiting in line at the check-out stand with me. I might not use the words, "I love you," like Corban did to his new acquaintance, but hopefully my actions will say, "I care."