My favorite pictures from Gabe's (day-before-)birthday

He got this Kung Fu Panda headband from Evan and Santi (along with a sweet sword/dagger) and wore it the rest of the day.

Air-hockey with Dad and and a ride on a monster truck at Chuck-E-Cheese.

Colin pouting over something and Chad making fun of him (yeah, we are like that).

Gabe refusing to even look when the servers at Red Robin came over to sing Happy Birthday to him. He sure did like the sundae they brought though!

Gabe thrilled with "Sir Handel", and Chad cooing over his baby.


"Cheese-take-a-picture-real-quick-so-I-can-get-back-to-playing!"

Audra's hidden talent

She's been holding out on us, folks! Did you know that Audra is secretly crafty? Don't ask her if she is, because she will deny it, but how else can you explain being able to create this in mere minutes with Play-Doh?

Gabe's 3rd birthday celebration

Gabe's birthday isn't technically until tomorrow, the 14th, but we had his big celebration with aunts, uncles, and cousins, yesterday. We are telling him that today is his birthday, because Chad has the day off for Columbus Day. Chuck-E-Cheese's and Red Robin are on the schedule.


I love this video because he is taking the whole thing so seriously. He has seen so many birthdays this year because of all his relatives here, so he has been just waiting and waiting for his big day to finally come. And you gotta love the spit on the cake with the second blow.

It always feels like Gabe's birthday begins the holiday season in our house. Halloween quickly follows, and then the fun doesn't stop until Colin's b-day in April. Woohoo! Party time!

One Word Only

1. Where is your cell? drawer
2. Significant other? Scrumptious
3. Your hair? limp
4. Your mother? strong
5. Your father? patient
6. Your favorite thing?beauty
7. Your dream last night? Apocalypse
8. Your favorite drink?milk
9. Your dream/goal?happiness
10. The room you're in? computer
11. Your fear? unresolved
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?Charlotte
13. Where were you last night? Dwight
14. What you're not? organized
15. Muffins? carbs
16. One of your wish list items? SOLD
17. Where you grew up? desolate
18. The last thing you did? cereal
19. What are you wearing? comfy
20. Your TV? Chad's
21. Your pet?never
22. Your computer? home
23. Your life? changing
24. Your mood?content
25. Missing someone?always
26. Your car?perfect
27. Something you're not wearing?shoes
28. Favorite Store? Target
29. Your summer?waiting
30. Your favorite color? grass
31. When is the last time you laughed? today
32. Last time you cried? yesterday
33. Who will/would re-post this? Chad
34. The place I go over and over? cjane
35. The person who visits me (Regularly)? Mom
36. A favorite fruit? orange
37. A place I would rather be right now? Disneyland

Hate to tell you Gabe, but it's only the beginning

I pick Colin and Santi up from school every day. Yesterday Colin's class came out first, as usual, and we were sitting around waiting for Santi when one of Colin's classmates, Addy, spotted him. She ran up to us, stopped short, pointed at Gabe, and shouted with great enthusiasm,

"What?! You have a baby twin?!"

Gabe did not appreciate her remarks and scowled at the ground for the rest of her little visit.

Thank You Chad

For surprising me with these beautiful flowers just because they reminded you of me.

They remind you of me? WOW. You must be sweet on me.

Now James and Roy hate you even more ;)

See - Even Oliver loves Aldi

One more reason I love Aldi. Not only do they not provide bags for you (WAY less waste), now they are selling these HUGE and sturdy bags for two dollars each. Have you ever seen the ones that Walmart and Target sell? tiny!

Free Night of Theater

Even if you just somewhat enjoy theater, check this out.

For Chad

It's his first day back at work and I know he misses his baby so I took this video this morning.

Everytime I walk past this sweet little bouquet, I have to smile.

That kid

Last week we were in the midst of a usual, somewhat hectic bedtime. The tub was full, and Colin had already stripped down and jumped in. Gabe was waiting for parental assistance, when he suddenly left and resolutely made his way down the stairs. We called after him, telling it was time to get in the bath. Gabe responded "I'm getting a drink!"

I followed him downstairs and watched him get a clean cup out of the dishwasher, and then stretch to fill it up in the water dispenser at the front of the fridge. Expecting Gabe to take a drink, I was surprised to see him toddle unevenly with the too-full cup back up the stairs. I asked him what he was doing.

"I'm getting a drink for Colin!"

I laughed and offered to carry it for him. When we got in the bathroom, I asked Colin if he had asked Gabe to get him water. Colin's face turned sheepish and a little embarassed as he nodded his head. The nerve! Asking a toddler to fetch you a drink from downstairs because you are thirsty in the tub!

And little brother doing it cheerfully without a question.

Seriously So Spoiled

It is nine o'clock at night and the downstairs is in perfect order, with a couple of candles lit.

And where is the man responsible for all of this?

Upstairs cuddling the baby back to sleep.

Phsst - This is what the house looks like almost every night, thanks to him (ask Roy). How did I get so lucky?

A Season of Neglect

I wasn't going to start a flower garden at all this year. Then one of our friends had use of a rototiller for a week and asked if we would like to use it, so I figured I might as well take advantage of it, tear up the soil, and just throw some seeds in the ground to tide it over until next year.

Which, after working the soil QUITE a bit, is what I did. I didn't want to get into really mapping out my dream garden just yet, so I planted just a few perennials (flowers that come back every year), and then scattered the seeds of some of my favorite annuals (flowers that only live for one growing season).

This is what it all looked like on May 3rd of this year.

I put in minimal effort through probably the middle of June of so. Very minimal. I watered maybe twice a week. I didn't translate or thin my plants. I hardly ever weeded.

After June, I stopped doing anything altogether.

And this is what a completely neglected little flower patch looks like by September 28th. Not too pretty, but kind of a fun little experiment. I am shocked that my Cosmos grew to be about eight feet tall and are still growing. Most of the plants lasted all season without anything but rainfall, and there really aren't too many weeds in there (considering). Just a lot of really scraggly looking plants.

Next year I will put more effort and design in, but I don't regret my garden of free spirits.

Baby Names, Part II

Part of a plow we saw last weekend.

Wanna know what Oliver could have been named?

The close second was.....

Gilbert

Not really after Gilbert Blythe, of course. Just 'cause we like the name, it isn't too common but it isn't weird, and Gil would be a great nickname. My main hesitation with this name was that it started with a G, which isn't that common of a letter for names, and we already have Gabriel, and I thought it would be kind of odd to have those two names in a row. In the end Chad just liked Oliver better, so that gave it the winning edge.

Now for the name I really really really loved, and Chad just couldn't warm up to....

Carver

I like it because it is unique but still a familiar word, so I don't think the sound of it is jarring at all. In my mind it is a little artsy and kinda granola, but still manly at the same time. Also it kind of reminds me of the name "Measure" from the Alvin Maker books, and I really love that name, but it is too out there for even me. I still think Carver rocks, but Chad is never going to like it, so feel free to use my wonderfully-creative-without-being-too-weird name if you want it. If you don't like it, go stand in the corner with my boring husband.

If you missed Baby Names, Part I, here is it.

Props to me (oh, and Colin too)

A couple of weeks ago, Colin got to visit the library at school to check out a book for the very first time. He came home with tips from the librarians - always turn the page from the top corner, always wash your hands before you read your book - and the book, "Are You My Mother?"

He sat down with Chad that night and read until page 38, all by himself. He had never heard that book before.

Ladies and gentlemen, he is officially a reader.

During the summer we never got past lesson number 80 or so in our book. He started getting somewhat frustrated with reading aloud and resistant to the lessons, and I didn't really mind giving it a break. I figured that he was already way ahead of where he needed to be for kindergarten and he would be spending the next 20 some years with lessons, so he could take a break.

Sometime not long after that, it all really clicked in his head, and his abilities just soared. Colin started shocking us with the words that he could figure out on his own. He started out being able to sound out words, but of course not all words can be sounded out, and that's when I started to realize he could figure out even the "funny" words on his own because of the parts that he can sound out, plus their context.

It is really bizarre to have him ask, "Mom, how did Wall Street sell out America?" because he was reading the cover of TIME, and I just love seeing him sit down with Gabe to read him a book. I love leaving him notes in his lunch box, knowing that I can throw in some words I have never taught him and he will still be able to read it. Chad and I are pretty tickled by it all, and so is Colin. He actually enjoys reading aloud now.

I have been wondering if it was kind of pointless to teach Colin to read when he is going to learn in school anyway (and definitely not for awhile - they haven't even covered writing the whole alphabet yet), but last week at Back-to-School night, they kept emphasizing that they only teach in Chinese, with a 45 minute English class every day, so it is really important that we work with them on their English (reading, writing, spelling) at home. It made me really glad to know that we have already made great strides in that area, plus I know that Colin just has more confidence in himself as a learner and thinker because of what he is already capable of. I love that!