Daily December #24

Dinner at our house! Really snacks and soup at our house with the Fasts, Flobergs, and Hennesseys. More fun with cousins, good food and lots of presents, WOW! I love that we can combine some of Josh's family and mine for some of our holidays.




This horse is so cool, he makes noise and his mouth and head move when you pinch his ear!

These are some photos that Boone and Tyler took...







Funny how much more willing people are to pose when kids are taking pictures!

Daily December #23

Today we had our Christmas breakfast with the Prock Clan. Actually it was at the Overstreet's house but is was formerly the a Prock house... No pics for this event yet because I forgot my camera, can you believe that? Pam and Steve were home from South Carolina for Christmas this year so that was a special treat. The kids had a blast playing with their cousins and the grownups had fun too. We've been doing a potluck breakfast so that one person isn't responsible for everything and that works our really well. Especially since potluck style stuff can handle breakfast in rounds and still stays pretty good. I'll add the pics when I get them...

Got some - this one is my favorite. They wrestled with poor Grandpa forever. Gotta love boys - Kylee contented herself on the couch playing a keyboard while all this hoopla was going on.



Then the boys and girls. This is Brody's new look! Uncle T and Aunt Delicious got Boone the Little Llama books (which are hysterical) and Brody looks just like "llama llama mad at mama".

Daily December #22

Just chillin' while mom finishes wrapping gifts...

Daily December #21

On the 21st we had the Christmas Party for Angie's kids Daycare.  The parents bring snacks and the kids have a gift exchange from names that they have drawn.  The all give us the presents that they have made for the parents and then they get a special gift from Angie too. This year the boys all got RC cars and there was a lot of racing going around after that.  It was so funny to see them all rolling around on the floor trying to figure out how to control them.  Here is the attempt at a group photo and cute picture of Boone and CJ.

Daily December #20

Sneak Peak!

Just noticed that when I blew this up on my desktop, I forgot to edit out Brody's dirty face. Hopefully that doesn't show up in 4 x 8 size :)

Daily December...

Where did they go?  Not sure, I've been taking the pictures but not taking the time to get them posted.  I'll probably due a flurry of them later this weekend or there might just be only 19 days in my December.  We'll see...

Poor, Poor Puff

Brody got this book for Christmas from Aunt Mel.  It comes with a CD in the back with 4 songs on it including the title song.  The book was written by Peter Yarrow - the Peter of Peter, Paul, & Mary so it is basically the lyrics to the song accompanied by some great illustrations.  Eric Puybaret used Hanalei Bay in Kauai as the inspiration for his illustrations for Honalee.  I think that it is just beautiful.  Josh made me sing the book when I was reading it to the boys because it was bothering him to hear it read.

So, today I put the CD on for Boone when he was playing and a few minutes later he came out with the book and a pained expression on his face.  When I asked him what was wrong he said "I am trying to not cry".  Poor Buddy..."What makes you want to cry?"  "This page here,"  He opens to the page with Puff in his cave with his green scales falling because he is so sad that Jackie Paper hasn't returned.  "I don't want to cry, but you just need to sing it."  So we sing the book and he turns around at that same part and buries his face in my shoulder and cries.  I am pretty sure he is in need of a nap but that didn't keep my heart from breaking.  What a sensitive little guy.   I just hugged him and held him for awhile.

I tried to explain about the happy little twist the illustrator puts in at the end but he just didn't care.  I think we'll just have to take a break from Puff for awhile.  Don't let this scenario keep you from reading the book, it is worth it just for the illustrations.  Even if it does bring up all those awful conflicted emotions about growing up...

More Words

Brody has added a few more words to his vocabulary this week.  "Hep Ne (help me)" "Guy" (every action figure or LEGO man) and "hat" Today he started to mimic Boone and say "I don't know" but pretend it doesn't sound nearly that clear! He also says "ulk" for milk just like his Daddy did. His childcare provider was right, once he starts...  Oh one more new one, he is chasing Boone around saying "key, key" "a Ho Ho one".  See here to figure out what that is regarding.

Daily December #19

This is what Boone got in the mail today.  It was accompanied by this letter...

Boone,

Your stocking, and Brody's, have to hang on the wall

because you have to fireplace at all!

You see the problem is quite clear,

"How will Santa get in here?"

There is a legend (but it is true)

of magic only Santa can do?

Boone, keep your key on the tree until Christmas Eve arrives,

then place it on the door handle so I can bring your gifts inside.

My magic will make the special key fit right,

so I can come in an visit that night.

I remember last year...so if you please,

leave more carrots for Rudolph and milk and cookies for me.

Love, 

Santa

How cool is that?

Daily December #18

Today our Christmas preparations were to take a break from Christmas preparations.  Josh took on the daring task of being the LEGO master.  He helped to build an ambulance, a fire truck, and a police car.  We have the "City" LEGO sets, can you tell.  Check out this picture, isn't it every mother's worst nightmare.  We have very strict LEGO pick up rules because it makes Mama very unhappy to step on this in the dark!

Daily December #17

Wow! It is finally finished and boy do I hate colored lights.  Especially in photographs.  It really does look better in person.  Someone with a discerning eye might notice that I changed tree toppers. The old star kept falling off and it usually ends up being a bit of a spider house anyway (two in there when I took it down yesterday).  This one was on sale at Target and I plan to go get a silver one just like it during after Christmas sales so that I can suit my mood each year!  Now, time to wrap some presents...

Daily December #16

This is what Josh came home to after running to the store yesterday.  Tired boy who is getting his brother's cold + one hungover wife who was finishing up her Christmas shopping on the laptop = impromptu nap on the living room floor.

Daily December #15

So this was the dress up weekend of the year for us!  Usually also the hangover weekend of the year as well.  This year it was just that way for me.  Josh was just fine, lucky man!  Too many gin and tonics with a twist for this little girl.  I thought I looked so cute until I saw the photos.  There is a reason that I am usually behind the lens in our family photos.  This one isn't so bad...

AAWWWW!

This is simply the cutest thing ever!  Couldn't resist sharing.  I'll catch up with everything else later today!

Daily December #14

So, this is why I didn't post yesterday.  So sick, up all night and super runny nose.  Poor little guy!

Daily December #13

Yep - It's still not done.  

Babyhood

Just got through putting the boys to bed.  As I was sitting in the dark rocking Brody, I just snuggled my nose into the curve between his soft, freshly bathed neck and shoulders and inhaled.  I can 't believe how fast his babyhood is slipping away especially since he is my last one.  For now I'll just have to be content to breathe him in...

Daily December #12

Today's post is about my kids' favorite Christmas book.  It has been Boone's favorite since 2005, so this is our third Christmas reading it almost every day during December.  Brody likes it just as much as his big brother. 

 

But today...Tivo recorded the Movie!  Can you believe it!  The boys have watched it twice already since we've been home.  The quality of the recording isn't that great and the animation isn't nearly as pretty (in my opinion) as the illustrations in the story.  I originally bought the story for my nephew, Tyler but loved the story so much that I bought a copy for Boone too.  We know have THREE copies: a regular book, a board book and a mini book that came with an ornament.  So cute...

Oh yeah!  I elfed us last night. 

Daily December #11

Quick today... Spent the evening with some of Josh's family.  It was Nanny Pam's birthday! She is still in town from South Carolina so we got to celebrate with her and have some yummy mayonnaise cake.  I know, sounds disgusting, but is ever so good.  

Happy Birthday Pam!

Daily December #10

A little at a time...

That is how we decorate the Christmas tree at our house.  So, its partially done.  The lights are up and Boone and I finished hanging one box of ornaments.  Between having two little kids and a husband who a) does not love ornaments like I do and/or b) is working out of town, this type of project takes time.  It should be completed sometime in the next week or so :)

PS.  Finally got a Winter Blog Banner Up!  Nope, not new PSE, just put the PC back up so that we can be really geeky and have four computers in one house.  Actually I am taking a PSE class on brushes that I paid for before we bought the Mac and setting the PC back up was the cheapest way to get around that little problem.

Daily December #9

Today we went to Klicker's to get our Christmas Tree. As soon as we pulled into the tree lot, it started snowing.  I don't even think that it was forecast for today. Here is Boone picking out his favorite.

At Klicker's they had baby reindeer this year. They were so cute but we got there just at nap time so they were a little sleepy. The boys were pretty excited! Doesn't Boone look like Pocahontas with his hat braids?

By the time we left, snow was everywhere!  There was even a truck that did a 180 on the highway. As we cruised up the street to our house, "Let it Snow" came on the radio.  How cheesy is that?  We had a fun hour though, we had to hurry to get home to watch our Seahawks cream the Cardinals!  Now if Brody sees a Seahawk emblem anywhere he yells, "Hawks, Hawks!" All in all, a good Sunday in December :)  

Daily December #8

Today's topic was supposed the be the annual cookie party that we have at Josh's mom's house but...I forgot my camera.  I had a great time though, intimate and fun.  

So I needed to come up with something. I knew I had my topic when I saw Josh harassing poor Tug.  He really doesn't care at all when you stick anything on him.  He makes a great reindeer doesn't he?

Daily December #7

You thought you were going to be fortunate enough for me to forget to do this today didn't you? We got home late tonight after making the rounds. Grandma Irene's surgeon promised she'd be home for her birthday, and she was so we dropped by to wish her Happy Birthday and then went out to tell his Dad goodbye for now! He'll be back in a few weeks for Christmas.  

We had some great laughs tonight and the kids were hysterical! 

Apparently my poor pregnant sister in law fell down the stairs on her deck today! I am sure she'll love me telling the world that but I'm trying to get everyone to wish Baby Ovie some love after its morning trauma.

This is what we came home to tonight:

Most of our neighbors are pretty great about decorating for Christmas and no one is really over the top so it is such a pretty site... Josh is not a huge fan of the white lights so, the color is all him!  I told him our new house is going to be white light all over the place. I do really like the blue/purple color on these LED lights though.  And our power bill was quite a bit less last December when we first used them!

Daily December #6

Does he have the munchies?




He is as photogenic as his father. Seventy five percent of all photos taken of them both look like they enjoy the herb a little too often :)

Daily December #5

Are you completely bored yet?  Well, today wasn't much of anything.  Left the house at zero dark thirty this morning to go to a meeting in Moses Lake.  Blech!!  So this is a picture of my long drive necessity sitting on a very dirty county car!  Fun Fun Fun!  Actually, I rode up with a fun group so that made the drive tolerable.  Oh Yeah, Did I mention I was the one who had to drive that crappy, dangerous road?  

Josh's grandma had her second mastectomy today.  Wishing you a speedy recovery Grandma Prock!  We love you!

Big Nerd

No idea where I made the crazy face that it happened to freeze there.  Not at the beginning nor the end but oh well!

Daily December #4

The beginning of our Nativity for the year.  I haven't found the Creche yet but it will turn up.  Josh bought be the first piece about 3 years ago.  Notice my pregnant Mary! Growing up, we could never put baby Jesus in the Nativity until Christmas Day. My Willow Tree Nativity set (which I adore) comes with a Mary holding the baby Jesus.  That absolutely will not due so she is hiding behind a basket on the entertainment center.  This Mary is another Willow Tree statue. (This is actually the second one of these I have.  When I was pregnant with Boone, my mom bought one for me and painted her hair yellow.)  The Three Kings are still in their box as well.  They don't arrive until January 6th, bearing gifts of course.  Anyway, just wanted to share one of my newest favorite Christmas accessories.

Daily December #3

Nothing very Christmas like about this pic! Boone has been obsessed with every helmet in the garage for the past 4 days.  He really wants to be a Transformer so I think this is his variation.  

Daily December #2

I am trying to do a "Daily December" project this year.  Take a picture of our daily preparations for the holidays or whatever else we might be doing and post about it.  This is my new simple wall decor for the wall above my computer desk.  It is just holiday scrapbook paper on 12 x 12 canvas, with a little ribbon so it isn't totally boring.  The problem is the one on the right keeps falling off even with permanent adhesive.  I'd really love to do a 9 canvas wall or something Warhol like one year.  Wow, this wall really needs a little paint, doesn't it?

Happy December!

I really need to put up a new banner but with the new Mac I don't have access to my photoshop until I decide to cough up the $ for a new version.  Brody had two new words today that make Daddy so proud - "Football" and "Golf ball"  I guess technically that last one is two words but still pretty exciting for us. 

We started taking links off our Paper Advent Chain today.  I really want to make a cool calendar for those boys with activities and treats but I guess that is a project for another year.

Lions for Lambs

We actually went to the movies last night!  Josh vetoed Beowulf so we saw Lions for Lambs instead.  I can't believe all the negative reviews this thing has gotten, we liked it.  Yes, it was full of dialog, so not good for action junkies.  It is Robert Redford's movie so it follows his political agenda, which also happens to be ours so it worked for us in that respect too.  It actually really spoke to people like us, ready to complain constantly about this administration's policy, and the media hype,  but not really stepping forward to do anything about it.  Some guilt following the viewing of this movie, but still great!  Really tough for me to go watch Tom Cruise right now but he nailed this part, a sincerely insincere young GOP senator.  And I really like just about anything that  Michael Pena does too.  All in all, probably an 8.5/10.

Happy Turkey Day Everyone!

This is me this morning, sans a little monkey that kept climbing my back to smear nose gunk on my shirt. He got his lip split after the other tooth/lip trauma last weekend.  Poor Kid!

Getting ready for a big dinner at Aunt Mel's, yummy!

Yesterday was pretty foggy when we were headed to daycare and Boone said "Mom, it's fog outside.  It's fog 'n cold out."  Cracked me up!

Hope you have many blessings to count today!

Do You Know What This Is?

Nope, my children didn't turn in to conjoined twins.  It is a picture from Photo Booth and you Mac users know what that means.  Its official, I've gone Mac.  You know what they say, once you've gone Mac...  And this Mac is a 20" Dual Core blah blah blah iMac.  So very, very sexy...so sexy that Josh had to take the hutch off of my desk so that it would fit.  Some major rearranging going on around here.

Some major talking too!   Boone had all the sudden become an adult, very grown up conversations and Brody... well, he finally has some words.  Up, help, bro-bro (which means both Brody and Brother)  He is really coming along.  

Looking forward to some major girl time with by best girlfriends in Portland this weekend for Jess's baby shower!  Yeah!

Poor Brody

The only cuddly stuffed thing that my baby has ever shown an affinity, nay, obsession for has been recalled for more freaking LEAD.  We've been pretty lucky so far but seriously!  The one thing that he wants to go to bed with besides the binky, the one thing he loves to carry around has now been confiscated in order to send it back to the lead police.  So very, very sad!  Goodbye sweet George, goodbye...

Finished another one!

Yay me! I am actually reading again. Just finished "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. I think it is her first book and it was great. Hints of a Victorian Era Novel, not really hints I guess, but lots of references to them and it is a great mystery. I picked it up at Costco and it was a readers pick there. I borrowed "The Memory Keepers Daughter" from a coworker to read next. I love having another book waiting as soon as one is finished. Makes it not quite as sad to be done.
There are really cool new blog buttons from Good Reads that I added that actually show rotating book covers from my lists. Fun! Guess I need to change the banner again too huh! I need some cozy fall pictures to get me kn the mood.
Oh, just found out that I managed to get Seahawks tickets for Monday night for my sweet hubby. I might actually get to go with him this time. Yeah!
Have a great week!

Halloween Pics...

Here is my Knight in Shining Armour.  He was so proud of his costume.  Gram made it as she usually does.  She and Boone plan these things together nowadays. 

 

And just what kind of parents would we be if we didn't force our toddler into the most adorable costume ever even though he screamed the whole time?  I guess we'd be Brody's parents.  He had his roar down pat for weeks but I guess he just wasn't  feelin' the love from this Old Navy getup.  This is only  pic I have of him where he is not writhing on the floor and crying.  So...we tried out Boone's old Spider costume which was apparently a little more palatable.  But there would be NO spider hood until he got cold outside.  

You'll notice that we still have yet to break the binky habit.  It is more for our own sanity than the fact that we really like constantly picking them off the floor or fumbling for them in the car or under the crib in the middle of the night.  We have even given up on washing them constantly since he just likes to open his mouth and let them fall where they may if he senses an opportunity for food to replace them.  Just run them through the dishwasher occasionally and call it good.  

Hope you all had a Happy Halloween and I can't wait to see some of your pictures!

Happy Birthday Baby!

Boone, I can't believe my little man is already FOUR!

Oh my gosh, where did the last four years go? It seems like just yesterday that they put you on my chest (a little too grey for my liking) when you were first born. How wonderful to have this perfect little baby boy! I am setting this to post at 04:11 am so that we can start celebrating your life exactly four years from the moment you joined our family.

You have been a joy to watch learn and grow. You are so sweet and sensitive. And Oh My, what a smart little boy you are. You amaze Daddy and I every day. Your sense of humor is fantastic for someone so young. There are times when I see you with your brother that just make my heart sing. I hope you will be best friends forever!

I wish for you all of the joy and happiness that you have brought to Daddy and me. I wish you security and a life of fun and adventure. But above all, I wish you the love that I have found with your Daddy! You help to complete our picture monkey! I love you!

Love, Mama

Podcasts

I love podcasts and since the two people that read this blog are also parents I wanted to share my new favorites. I really like Jumping Monkeys. It is a twit tv tech podcast but its all about parenting in the digital age. They have a great segment called spend, save, give and play cool kids music too. The Blog is also good.

Another one that I like but that isn't done too regularly is a kids music podcast sponsored by The Land of Nod. If you haven't heard of it, it is cool kids furniture catalog ala Pottery Barn Kids. Anyway they occasionaly update the Nodcast Podcast on itunes and Boone loves the ones by Peter Himmelman and Amy Krause Rosenthal. Each guest artist does their own rendition of a theme song and Boone knows almost every word to the one by Peter Himmelman. Gonna have to download a CD I guess.

Getting ready for Halloween here! What are you and your kids going to be?

Funny

Today Boone said to Josh- "When I get to be a big boy, can I go the the Kennewick Zoo with Aunt Mark and Jessie?"

Josh said "You are a big boy, Kennewick doesn't have a zoo, and its UNCLE Mark."

Just wanted to say THANKS...

to my fabulous husband for all of the little things he does like giving double bareback horsey rides, cleaning carpets. rearranging furniture, rocking feverish babies, and cleaning goo stuck in the sink. I love you baby! You really are my better half...

Oh yeah, here is a sneak peek of my new fall hair color. Still not sure about it, think I need some dark brown streaks.

Little Men...

Hey check out the new banner! I think I finally got the hang of these things. Fun!

Just realized I haven't posted about the kids in awhile. Not much has been going on here but we've still managed to stay really busy. Josh is going back and forth between Yakima and Pullman for work. He usually is only gone one over night a week for right now but that is likely to change soon.

Boone is great, working on so many letter combinations. So funny when throws a random bunch of letters together and then asks "Mom, what does that spell?" It is probably more entertaining listening to me try to sound them out.

Brody is puny this weekend. Probably just a virus but I had him cultured for strep just in case. It was going around daycare this week. His speech is so delayed compared to Boone's and is actually pretty delayed for his age so I had an evaluation done last month. He barely misses the cutoff to qualify for expressive speech therapy but apparently his receptive is off the charts. That just means we have to be very careful of what we say, because he really does understand it all.

Of course he's been throwing out a lot of attempt at words since the eval. So funny. I think he can now say: duck, dog, cat, hat, thank you, yay!, all done and few new others. They all kind of sound very similar to the untrained ear though...