Monday, October 27, 2008

A BIG Hit

Spinach is not a popular thing at our house, but boots are! I was thinking about getting the kids boots for Christmas this year, but when we decided to make them a cowboy and cowgirl for Halloween, they got their presents a bit early. They have them on every second they can. Here they are in their jammies....and boots. (I told Z to hold her nightgown up a little so we could see her boots in the picture and Grady followed suit. He's a riot!) Grady is now going to be a soldier, but I think the cowboy boots are still going to be used.

Not a Hit

I sat my crazy kids down to watch some TV while I was making lunch the other day. I don't usually make them watch TV, but it was an attempt to get them to stop fighting and be quiet for a while. (It worked pretty well.) Amazingly, they both agreed on the show they wanted to watch: Popeye! I figured that this was the perfect time to introduce a new food. (Wouldn't you think the same?) Grady can't watch more than about a minute of TV at a time (both a blessing and a curse) so he was in the kitchen in no time. I presented this beautiful can of spinach to him as his vegetable for the meal. He was a bit skeptical. I didn't give up, though. When I showed it to Zetta, she was so excited to be eating like Popeye! A short time later, lunch was ready and both kids were perched at the table ready to eat. Grady still skeptical and Zetta as excited as she's ever been to eat lunch. When I presented them their plates of Mac-n-Cheese and Popeye Spinach, Zetta's excitement faded. She was trying her hardest not to be rude, but I could see she was uncomfortable with something. So I asked her what was wrong, to which she replied, "What is that green stuff?"

I told her it was yummy spinach just like Popeye eats and she said, "But why does it look disgusting?"

To this I had to laugh and told both of them that they had to take one bite to see if they liked it. They did so without even being forced, however I think that will be the last bite of canned spinach any of us will ever eat! (Mine went into the trash, too.) Oh well, at least I tried.

Trike-a-Thon

Zetta's school participated in a fund raising Trike-a-Thon to support pediatric cancer research at the St. Jude's Children's Research Center. She took this very seriously, as you can see. She really wanted to "win" so she could help sick kids. I had to explain that no one was going to actually win, since it wasn't a race, but that she just had to keep riding and do her best. She didn't really get that it wasn't a race, but she and her classmates had fun anyway.

Can you see that her front tire was as flat as a pancake? I didn't notice it until about half way through the event! Sorry, Z.

Oh, and yes, this is at her preschool. She goes to school in the country, on the farm of one of her teachers, so you can see Ms. Beth's house and yard in the background....oh and maybe a little bit of Kansas off in the distance (that's for all of you who like to get those jabs in when you drive out here from your big city homes)!

Aunt Suzy's Wedding

So, people keep asking to see pictures of Aunt Suzy's wedding. The truth is, I think my hands were a little full that weekend because this is the only picture I took (other than a matching one with some serious red-eye)! I snapped this one at the end of the reception at Suzy's request. If anyone has any they want to share, please let me know! The kids looked very cute and Suzy and Ryan were definitely a handsome looking couple.

What a Sweetie

Grady came after me with this spatula the other day when I was changing Merrick's diaper. His current toys of choice are kitchen utensils. He usually has a pretend purpose for whatever he has in hand. Any guesses at what this one was?

He walked up behind me making a growling noise and scraped this up the back of my head! Then he said, "Sit still like a statue, it just tickles! I give you a haircut, Mommy."

Grady and His Brother



Can you tell that Grady adores his baby "bwudduh"?

Another funny thing...

Zetta says: "Does Barack Obama think he's more powerfuller than God? 'Cuz that is not good."

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The Things Kids Say

I think my kids are funny! For some reason I have been noticing lately that they say some of the funniest things. Making note of these things is how I get through the day some times. Here are just a few:

-While I was yelling at the big kids to get their shoes on so we could get Z to school on time, Grady came up to me and in his most stressed out manner said, "So much times I don't want to go to school...ezuh, ezuh!" (translation: ever, ever)

-In a disgusted reference to Merrick - "Again? Again he's stinky?"

-Grady has decided to challenge me quite a few times lately. This one in particular echos in my mind. It wasn't so funny at the time, but I'm softening! Grady said, "You not a boss, Mommy! Only big kids is a boss. So we da' boss!" (Let me tell ya' sometimes it does feel that way!)

-Grady code:
ezuh = ever; buzuh = brother; buhjean = Jeanine; buhzert = dessert; luz = love

-Zetta, Grady and Bryan were watching Bear Grylls (Man vs. Wild) climb up out of a rocky canyon in the Badlands of South Dakota and Z says, "Wow! That looks hard........do you think he has to double knot his shoes for that?" (Ah, the mind of a preschooler!)

We're Still Here!

OK, I had made it my personal goal to do a post each week. It was a good thought! Sorry I haven't made one in a while. I don't have any pictures to put up right away, but I'll fill you in on what we've been up to.

Let's see:
We left September 23rd to go to Kansas for about a week. Zetta did well as a flower girl and Grady was a great ring bearer in Aunt Suzy's wedding. After the wedding we spent the rest of the time visiting with our families, letting everyone meet Merrick and playing with the cousins. It was a busy time. It is amazing, but aside from meal times, I pretty much don't see my kids when we are back there! I think the trip home was good for all of us. Bryan enjoyed a day of golf and a little time away from work. Also, the post-partum "fog" has seemed to lift from my head. I can now actually plan out my day, remember who I just dialed on the phone (before they answer) and most of the time I can come up with ideas for what to eat for supper.

Since we've returned...hmm....we've tried to rest up and I've done laundry. (Ha!) No, really we've just been getting back in the swing of things at home, taking Zetta to school and playing at home (and still not resting, I'll have to figure out how to work that out pretty soon).

I hope you all are doing well! Hope to hear from you soon.