Just because...the cranky version

I took his picture...

just because it's important to have snapshots of real life, not just the picture perfect moments.






I'm posting these pictures...

just because he's cute even when he's cranky.

and sometimes...



Taking his picture makes the crankies go away (well, for a few min at least).

Especially if you tell him to smile 'cause the picture is for the blog :)

Cranky or not, the world is ALWAYS a better place when this boy is around!

I love you, Punky!

Just because

I took his picture...

just because he asked me to take it.



I'm posting his picture...

just because I want to post it.

The sun ALWAYS shines brighter when this boy is around!

I love you, Zigity Zoo!

(not so) Wordless Wednesday

...Alternatively titled:

Parker Picasso paints a masterpiece for mommy
(on his sister's bedroom wall)



(apparently, that little 8.5x11 white paper is not big enough or inspirational enough)

Out of the mouths of my littlest boys...

Park:

*While helping me make pizza dough one evening...

"You are forgettin' sumthing. You forgot da gun powder"

He meant baking powder.

*Our morning routine includes jumping on the mini-trampoline and/or playing with the exercise ball. Parker was sitting on the exercise ball one day and wanted me to make him bounce. He said, "I need you to jump me up".

*One day a couple of months ago, Park fell and clunked his head on the tile floor. It happened pretty early in the morning and was nothing major. Just a pretty good thunk that gave him a headache for a couple of hours. Close to midnight, I was trying to get him to settle down for bed. After a few minutes of quiet, he very dramatically grabbed his head (on the opposite side from where it clunked the floor) and said, "oh, oh, oh. My head really hurts. It hurts worser and worser when I lay down. I think I need to stay up all night to make it feel better."

Aaron:

*Overheard...
"Look at how fast I can wiggle my phalanges." (Just in case you are a little rusty on your medical terminology, phalanges are the bones that make up your fingers and toes.)

*Aaron was singing Amazing Grace while doing his chores. Jay and I had a good chuckle when we heard, "...that saved a wrench like me. "

* Wisdom shared while being my breakfast prep assistant=

"We are all special. Just different kinds of special."

A few minutes later, he was becoming a bit impatient in waiting for breakfast to be ready. He said, "maybe we should change the speed on the oven so it'll cook faster".

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, pass the tissues...

It's that time of year again.

When we say goodbye to the old and usher in the new.

When we reflect on the good and bad of the previous year and make all manner of goals and resolutions for the year to come.

When the "sickies" are out in abundance looking for a nice cozy home to settle down for the long winter.

The week before Christmas, our house guests...cough, sneeze, sore throat and sinus crud came for a visit. Apparently, they've enjoyed the stay so much that we haven't been able to convince them to leave. I'm sure the fact that they've been able to rile up their good buddies...GI issues and Asthma has encouraged them to stay a bit longer.

I'll be the first to admit that I'm a huge baby when I'm sick. I haven't been nearly as sick as the kids and it didn't catch up to me until just a few days ago. Yet, I've already whined away on twitter and facebook. Kev took half a day yesterday and the whole day off today so I could rest and recover. I'm still feeling miserable, but tomorrow I'll jump back in the game. Even venturing out for the kiddos to play flag football.
I was tempted to sit here and whine the night away. Instead, I decided to do a blog post.

Yes, I know thus far my blog post has been whiney.

Here's where it changes...

We've been lying low and enjoying the time together. While our holiday wasn't spectacular and certainly wasn't brimming with parties or fancy clothes or gourmet food. It was nice to just have Kev home a bit more than usual, activities cancelled and just time to hunker down and recover.

Although there has been a lot of this:



and this:



and this:


and a few other less picture worthy things like vomiting and nose wiping.

There has also been an abundance of wonderful things the past couple of weeks...

like Zig and Park "reading" together:



My bouncy boys pretending to be skydivers:



Building of block towers:



Tree decorating (and almost immediate undecorating, but I'm not blogging about *that*):




Learning pursuits...like figuring out how to take a self portrait with the digital camera. "It's easy, you push the button and run to the chair. The time delay is so slow that you have enough time to get in your chair before it takes the picture"


Have I mentioned that there's been the building of many block towers? Can you guess a favorite Christmas gift?


There's even been a few bear sightings...a bear with an MP3 player no less:



and even with the "sickies" our house is always (well...like any house it has it's moments, but I'm not dwelling on that) full of laughter, love, and goofiness...



I hope that 2011 finds your home overflowing with great joy, fresh opportunities, new mercies and few tissues!