Veteran's Day

My blog reaches very few for privacy sake, but I didn't want it to stop me from saying something about those who have served my country for our freedoms.
I hope to be a good citizen and raise my children to be grateful for what we have because we really are blessed. I hope to never take advantage of my blessings.

Thank you to you all! May our Heavenly Father bring you and your family peace in times of trouble and uncertainty.

Halloween 1st Part

I need to upload more pictures, but here's what I've got so far.

 Tristan with his two dental assistants, Lori and Renee.

(G is a karate kid.)

 Luke checking out our carved pumpkins. He was in such a trance.

 G wanted nothing to do with the pumpkins innards. My I say how surprised I am considering he would live and sleep in dirt/mud if I let him?!

I have a better shot of these, but until then, here is G as Slimer....not a frog. I know he looks like a frog. He's Slimer. 

And L was the cutest Stay Puft Marshmallow man. Especially as he was "dancing" in his Bumbo to the music.

Standoff

Last week there was a standoff in the apartments around the corner. 

Gideon was SO excited to see so many police cars. 

 They lined the streets and even barricaded our road. I stopped counting police cars after about 20. And then there was the bomb squad, the SWAT team, the helicopters.

I was watching through the side window to see if they would let Tristan in since he was just getting home from work. They didn't. But it did give me a surprising view of one of the policemen, um...relieving himself between mine and my neighbor's house. Or as they say in Oklahoma, Watering the Horses.

Chester's Pumpkin Patch

 We ventured out into the country for some Halloween fun. When I was little we used to take a hay ride out into the field and pick pumpkins. I was pretty disappointed when we got there and all the TINY pumpkins were lined up neatly in front. I think they shipped them in. Shhh.

After much coercing and a brief panic attack/tantrum when they marked his hand with a marker, Gideon rode the pony..and loved it the first time around. Then he wanted off. 

 Luke was content in the stroller.

We let Gideon lead the way in the hay maze. How is it we can manage to get lost when it only comes to my waist...don't know. 

 The moment we got home, Gideon wanted to draw a face on his pumpkin. Beautiful!!!

I Survived!!!!

Titan.

Thanks to some awesome friends watching the boys, Tristan and I drove down to Six Flags in Dallas. 

Considering I have not been to an amusement park in over a decade, I think the fact I didn't pass out on the ride was an achievement. (Yes, I almost did.)

Also considering, it was the first ride we went on... Nothing like jumping...or PLUNGING...in feet first. 

And lastly considering Titan is the 6th tallest steel rollercoaster drop in the world. Yes...the world. Had I known.....

AND the 9th fastest in the world.

I. Survived.

When the ride is over, you walk down some stairs...my legs were so shaky, I didn't think I'd make it down. And then there were those 6 year olds screaming, "Let's do it again."

The drive was longer than we planned and the park was busier than planned (Thanks to the Rangers World Series game, a Cowboys game, and the fact it was fall break.) Brilliant. And as we were in line for one of the rides, it was shut down for a while. So, we only made it on 3 coasters. That's okay...a whole day together was tons of fun! 

On the way home we hit a huge storm.

 It may look kind of cool now.

But it turned fairly ugly...and perhaps OU fans blame it for delaying their game which ended in a loss. At Home. To Texas Tech. How embarassing. The state is still in denial.

And then I spilled Dr. Pepper all over myself. About a liter's worth.

We Were Going to go to the Park...

But that was before our door broke.

Brought to you by the Letter G

We've been working on letters once in a while, starting with "G." Gideon was so excited when we found it painted in the parking lot. :) Nice.

My Boys

Gideon loves to have Luke around. I'm not sure Luke is a fan yet. Perhaps it was the body slam. But anyways, I believe some day they'll be great friends.

Note to self....

His reach is farther than I think.

Gideon

This boy is so curious and energetic. Sometimes it's hard to keep up. We participated in a survey years ago about families, and they contact us once a year to interview us. They came to test Gideon's vocabulary as part of the research. He understands as many words up to an 8 year old. You wouldn't know it on some of our "off " days.  :) I was so impressed...but he does love books! 

 He likes to make trains our of his cars. 

 He was helping me take down painter's tape, and proceeded to pick up anything and everything that would stick to it telling me it was his "Spiderweb."

 He loves to eat bubbles as much as playing with them.

 He insists on helping mommy clean.

Thanks to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, G knows what exercise is. Here he is "ecker-sizing". 

 Thank you for the rain!!! Nothing better than some puddle jumping.

And finally a trip to the zoo. Perfect weather for it nowadays.

Luke

This boy is growing so quick! He loves to sit now...and so glad he can finally do it since he's been doing crunches at 4 weeks. He loves to see what's going on. He has one bottom tooth and we tried to weigh him at home a few days ago. If we're right, he;s about 20 pounds!!! I'll know for sure at his appointment Monday. 

 Sleeping with Daddy. He's much warmer than Mommy.

 Is this not the sweetest picture?!!

Gideon's Art

This boy has been so in to drawing lately. Give him paint, pencils, markers...you name it. His favorite things to draw are rainbows, circles, race cars, snakes and pumpkins. Besides the circles, everything resembles a line. Here is a "cow". Surprisingly, I can see it! He also did a pretty good spider the other day. Those are a cinch. Same with the snakes. :)

I've Trained Him Well

Gideon sent a mosquito to time-out soon after getting bit by him. Good boy.

Animal or Breakfast Food?

Gideon insists this is a pancake bear...eh, close enough. 

Really?!!?! Please No.

I just don't think I can take many more of Oklahoma's "surprises."

Black Widow Spider Problem Mounting Across Oklahoma

http://www.koco.com/news/29398238/detail.html

Oklahoma's Tarantula Migration Time

http://www.newson6.com/story/15506901/september-is-oklahomas-tarantula-migration-time

Hot Pants

Is it sad when your husband accidentally grabs the infant's size-3-months shorts and puts them on your 2 and half year old and they fit?!! A little tight to get over the diaper, but they fit?!?!

I don't want to forget...

That after the Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang I am a Child of God, an amazed Gideon was convinced they were singing his bedtime routine and requested the "Moon Song" afterwards....and every time they sang after that. Poor boy was so disappointed when it didn't happen.

Misery Loves Company...

Perhaps that's why we all got sick at once. I've never seen so many mountains of tissues in my life.

I Don't Want to Forget...

Today at the zoo I asked G what a wolf says...
G: "Blow your house down."


PS- You may notice a lack of pictures. I know, so sad and boring. But my computer eats pictures. So until I can find a nice computer promising to not eat anymore, this is all I've got. Mom always said, "Use your words."

I Feel Good!

This week our Gold's Gym opened up. Tris and I switch off evenings we go. I have never liked exercising...in fact, I hate it. However, they have this cycle cinema where they play movies. There are treadmills, bicycles, elliptical machines, etc. and you watch while you exercise. It's awesome! (Because cardio is SO boring!!!) Then I go work on the other machines after 30 min. of cardio. I'm finding that I look forward to my exercise nights! Who am I and what have I done with my old self?! I feel good and hopefully will start to look, feel more fit.

I don't want to forget...

That Gideon calls ketchup "tah-poot." It is so cute!

Did you know...?

that Oklahoma doesn't send out courtesy reminders that your driver's license has been expired for months...and you're really lucky if someone other than a police officer catches it first?

So Grateful

I am so grateful for rain.

Love You Because You're You

Gideon

 I love the way you say certain words, like: peanut buddah dam how-winch (PB&J sandwich), 

gupiss (Bambi), die-barry (library), tackies (taxi), a-ka-ka (helicopter), fiya hi-dent (fire hydrant), 

bag-uh-ball (basketball) and baby zjuke (baby Luke).

I love that you love books and get just as excited to go to the library as the zoo.

 I love the way you treat your brother.

 And how you always want to be with him.

I love that when you see a candle, you insist on smelling it.

I love how excited you get to go to church and when you wanted to wear your Sunday shoes I told you it was Monday, so you asked to wear your "Monday shoes."

I love that you can put on your own shirt and how proud you are when you do it.

And how you stand outside the bathroom door ready to congratulate whoever comes out with cheers and a pat on the back. (We must be doing a little potty training!)

I love that you are such a tease but realize when to be compassionate to others.

I love that you insist on kissing my "owies."

I love that you wanted to catch daddy in this picture. Or that the next day after it rained you tried to catch me and since it was wet I flew off the bottom and landed on you, but we both laughed anyways.

I love that when I drive, I prefer to have the radio off because you are much more fun to talk and listen to. (I used to be an avid radio listener...now I have no idea what the new songs are.)

And when we are driving you always say in a low and slow voice, "BIG TUNNEL" whenever we go under a bridge.

I love that you love salad, but only because it's drenched in ranch dressing.

I love when we play-hide and-seek and you hide in your closet every time.

I love how much you adore your daddy. And every day you tell me where he is,

"Dada at 'vwork'. Fick (fix) a teeth."

I love when we go to the hardware store and you think sitting on the riding lawnmowers or "tractors" is the greatest thing!

 I love when you wear your Batman pajamas because you do everything fast. The cape has those fast powers. (Bedtime is a breeze.)

I love that your favorite game to play with me is crashing your cars into each other.

I love when we pass a McDonalds you always yell out "French Fries!" And whenever we get near the house you yell, "House!"

I love how obedient you can be. You are so good at saying thank you...and sometimes you get confused and say "geh-come" (welcome) instead.

And how shocked I was when you asked to be excused from the table.

I love that you help me cook and wash the dishes and clean the bathroom and do the laundry.

I love how good you were at Luke's doctor's appointment today. I can't believe how fast you are growing and learning.

Luke

I love how proud you were when you finally grabbed that monkey...

and you didn't let go for a LONG time.

I love how chunky you are, even though you started out "small", you gained a pound a week until you were 8 weeks old...and over 15 pounds. :)

 I love that you are just learning how to hold toys and bring them to your mouth.

I love how good you used to sleep. Let's do that again!

I love your smile because I have to work so hard to get it...same with your cute little giggle.

I love that you are healthy and happy and a really easy baby. Your 4 month appt. today gave us these stats.: 42.5 cm head, 17 lbs. 8 oz., 26 in. long 

I love how much you like it when I do Wheels on the Bus using your feet. Especially the door "open and shut."

I love how hard you have tried to do a crunch since you were just weeks old.

I love how much you look like your brother when he was that age...

and you have a cleft in your chin in addition!!

I love how much you splash in the tub and used to be so serious about it, and now just smile and babble.

How lucky am I?!