My Parents and My Kid's Grandparents

My lovely parents live far far away in a barren cold tundra where its people wear Green and Gold year round, Miller Lite is the beer of choice, and darts are a competitive sport. We rarely get to see them, maybe once a year- but more now that we have kids.

We all made a collective attempt at a family vacation this past summer with both my parents and Josh's. Paradise was under our feet for 10 days as we soaked up the Hawaiian spirit and weather. We rented a divine house on the North Shore of Oahu at Kawela Bay and really absorbed the local vibe.

This vacation provided my parents with ample time to smoosh and squoosh on their grandkids, and they tirelessly sacrificed their sanity to take turns loving and caring for Wyatt and Conner.

There was a time when these sweet souls had no idea what I was up to. For years, I was a mystery and would only sneak back for a Christmas here and there.

As fate and choice would have it, I grabbed on to reality with both hands and swung myself into life with some real zest and foundation. Along with marrying a fabulously gorgeous and intelligent man, I popped out two kids and now they HAVE to visit!

Grandma worked really hard to get this wind shade just right for the boys.

Discovering my family relationship again has obviously brought us closer together and even though we're miles and miles apart we know each other well. My step dad (who I consider my real dad) even calls me or Josh for no reason at all every now and then.

They both truly relish in my happiness, and I, in theirs.

Thanks Bapas and Nya Nya for never letting go of me.

Christmas is On!

In case you're interested; Music Choice (on TV) has Christmas music playing now!

I had watched one too many of Conner's animated movies. So, I threw in one of my favorites- A Christmas Story. Love it but felt myself cringe every time someone cussed or said the Lords name in vain. Strange how that the movie always seemed fine until I let Conner watch it.

Sunday

Nonners loves to have WoWos join him in his crib in the mornings.

Being in nursery at church is like being in a cage full of pigeons or rats. Both the boys got sick this week from being in nursery.

All 3 boys stayed home from church today. I went early for choir practice and then stayed late to clean up in nursery (I am a nursery leader). 4 hours makes for a long time at church but it was fast and testimony meeting so I was blessed to hear heartfelt and moving testimonies.

We had a restful and enjoyable Sabbath Day both at home and with our combined families for dinner at Bapas.

Why not Spell Booger, Bugar?

Look who came back for a visit today. And on the INSIDE of the screen no less.

Onion is a cousin. He makes us laugh. Here's his latest; He was picking his nose yesterday and I asked him if he was digging for gold. He said, "No actually I'm digging for boogers."

Yeah- It's all Very Familiar

I've been wanting to refold our huge pile of quilts and blankets for a while now. Conner helped me kick it into gear today by pulling them all out and saying, "No way" then throwing them behind himself. Kids are crazy.

Previously, it has been told that Josh has a hurt back. Mine isn't so wonderful lately either. I told Conner that our backs hurt and he said that his hurt too and that we needed to fix it with batteries. Exact quote, "Fi- eeeit, baaa-eees".

JCPenney's called me the other day to let me know that they had my wallet- which had been stolen there in the portrait studio almost exactly a year ago!! The three of us made our way to the store and I loaded them up in the double stroller- thinking this would be easier. Elevators broken. We get to wait for someone to take us up (and back down) in the freight elevator. Which was huge and kinda Fun for us all.
I get the wallet (ID and cash are the only things missing- weird). We head to the little boys section to buy some more undies- we're going full board on this potty training thing- I'm gonna have "uneez" and extra shorts stashed everywhere.
Back to the store story: Conner's running around now, pulling everything off the hangers and putting them into our stroller to buy. I tell him we gotta go and I put the extras away. Conner has his first in store tantrum. I'm trying to calm him. I'm trying to threaten him (in a do you want a time out kind of way). He finally stops shrieking when I tell him that I will hold him and we can go buy our undies. Again, kids are crazy... I set him on the counter and his face is covered with tears and there's snot streaming out of his nose. The super nice saleslady spoke to him so nicely and wiped his nose for him...then put an extra Kleenex in his pocket for later in case his nose ran some more (is what she said). Now that's service!

Wyatt's new favorite spot? The step to the landing. He's mastered it and he's so proud of himself. I think he likes to feel as if he's standing.

Not a flea market find, but almost as good! I got this groovy little kid table at Ikea today on clearance for nine dolla!! Does anyone have any cute ideas of how I can decorate it up? Paint? Decoupage?

The space age Flintstone's chair I bought to go with it was 8 bucks-dang it. I went to the darn store to buy one measly kid size pillow for Twinkle Toes and ended up buying a whole bedding set, pillow, comforter, chair, table, and a six pack of bowls in colors of the rainbow. Drats!!

We would like you to meet Bay Bay (as in Baby- not berry this time). Bay Bay is Conner's new buddy. He happily joins us in all that we do...

...and keeps watch the way no one else can.

The vibrant apple green does not match the colors in Bugga's room. That's why I like it so much.

He was so excited to sleep with his new pillow and comforter, along with Bay Bay of course. Extra smiley "Nigh Nights".

October 31st Captured and Released!!!!

I was wrong about Munchie. He's actually getting both upper teeth - just one quicker than the other AND he's getting another on the bottom right next to his 2 existing Sweet Pea teeth (OK- Sweet Pea's are on the top but who's counting?).
You can completely grasp the severity of his chubs from the above picture. Check out those wrists! Even his toes are chubby. Don't worry, I'm not. Oh, I'm also not worried that his hair is really light. It will be so cool to see what he turns out to look like for real. 'Cause right now it's just for fake ya know.
Josh was worried that Wyatt wouldn't walk as early as Conner (end of 8 months) - something to do with skills and such...Josh is way too competitive. Anyways, I digress, Wyatt is pulling himself up on different objects. Like flimsy coconut frond diaper bags that topple over with the slightest pressure...Look out Wyatt!

Later this same day, we finally made it out to Trick or Treat. But I forgot to mention that Raechal, Toby and I spent 4 hours carving pumpkins. I only got through one because I kept having to take care of my darn kids...Ha Ha. Ok- I didn't HAVE to, I wanted to; but again, I digress. We carved pumpkins with the theme of Kung Fu Panda. I carved Monkey. Not my best work. You should see last years (I think I did Dumbledore and Voldemort). We went home for naps then headed back to Bapas for some Trick or Treating. Josh made it down to the end of the culdesac but then I sent him home (more on that later).

Wo Wos went as himself because it was to dang hot (high 70's at 8PM) to dress him up in the furry Teddy Bear costume we borrowed for him. I want to see what he'll look like in it so I will just take some pictures of him at the house later. He was zoning out and kind of amazed by all the craziness in the neighborhood.

Bapas house is in a pretty nice neighborhood so people drive in from who knows where to get the good candy! On his street alone there were 3 1/2 haunted houses and everyone decorates to the nines. The 1/2 is for this one house that decorates their walk all crazy and you have to gingerly sneak up it to retrieve candy from the madman behind a table full of guts and beakers and flashing lights.

Conner was off like a flash and we left his cousins and friends in the dust! He seriously was on a mission. Scary costumes and moving decorations didn't even stop his flow. He did, however, make lots of efforts at scaring other people. He would make big stomps and scratchily "RAARGH" at people- little people, big people, he didn't discriminate.






I think he was mistaken for a girl more than once...it must have been the braids.

He's getting so vocal. He told everyone "Kenk- oo mon" I think he is saying "Thank you man" even to the ladies. I don't know where he got this. He said, "shish o she" for trick or treat.
I turned him around after three short streets because I could tell he was getting hot and the purple pumpkin looked like it was getting heavy- but he wouldn't let me hold it or take any candy out to make it lighter.

Not once did he try to take his hat off. So, by the end he was pretty sweaty and hot and he started saying "Yay-Yos" and "Oh Hah-eee" (making an Oh this is heavy noise-like when you lift a heavy box). I picked him up 2 houses away from Bapas and carried him home for some water.

Then he pooped in his underwear and I gave him a bath- how's that for an ending? Ha Ha. Oh yeah, he played around with his cousins and Luke until we took him home and got him to bed at 11:30. He zonked out in the car today without any lunch and he's still sleeping now(over 3 hours so far).

That's MY pile!!

My love for chocolate comes in handy sometimes.
Two piles. One that Conner can have (on the left) and the other that has milk or eggs or no ingredients lists and we're not 100% sure on.

Josh was in despair when he saw that I'd posted this picture I snuck of him last night. He just knew people would think he'd converted to Islam (good guess Toby!)

This is what becomes of Josh when he turns up the heat at basketball. One little twist the wrong way and he's out of commission for weeks. He's been to see Dr. Clay 6 times in the last 4 days. He was in so much pain just walking down the street that I sent him home early from Trick or Treating. Poor Guy is walking like an old man...get better soon Taco John!!

Where are my Scruples?

$43.00 for two flipping hats at Disneyland a couple days ago!!! That's almost half of one hundred dollars!! What was I thinking? It would have been cheaper to buy sunblock. Long story short: I've been having pimple problems-yuck-so I've been using Salicylic acid wash and moisturizer. My skin feels like it's fried all the time. Anyways, I needed shade on my face quick because I forgot the sunblock. I decided I'd get a hat. Of course Conner wanted one too. He kept saying "MiMi Mou". Which I originally thought was Mickey Mouse until he squealed with delight and wrung his fingers like Evil Doctor Frankenstein and slurped his tongue like a weasel (how'd he learn all those things?) when I pointed at the pink Mini Mouse hat- after pointing at all the Mickey hats and getting "NOOOO- MI - MI - MOU!!".
Just so you know, Conner's tongue isn't actually shaped like this. It just does this forked thing when he sticks it out since he's tongue tied. Have you seen those people who cut their tongues to look like this on purpose? Nasty!
I have a problem throwing away biodegradables in the trash but I don't have a compost. I actually save them up and take them down the road on the edge of the canyon and throw them into the grass where I've seen deer, coyotes, and bunnies (not that coyotes will eat oats and apple chips). This makes me crazy about myself because I don't always take it there right away and it piles up. Which grosses Josh out and also takes up counter space...

Our downstairs closet is a catchall. In it, you will find anything from Gorilla Glue to diced tomatoes. I was trying to weed out all the seasonal decorations from the closet to put in the garage which is quickly becoming our new catchall. I accumulated a large bag of seasonal goodies which I placed by the front door waiting to go to the garage. While in the kitchen, I heard a giggle and peeked around the corner to find Conner with a wreath of clovers on his head. After taking a pic of Conner, I almost had the camera put away when I heard, "See Dat?" and turned around to find WoWos sporting the wreath as well.

This is what happens when I decide to clean like crazy!
A witch's curtain wards our door.


The cousins came over to play tonight so our family could represent at the "Yes on Prop 8" rally. Doctor Owen sedulously inspects Conner's mouth and Syders keeps Wyatt happy with toys and momentary illegible conversations.

Twinkle Toes, here he is in all his relaxation glory. I set him up tonight with drink, popcorn, pillow, "kang-ket"(blanket), and Monsters, Inc. He ate that whole darn bag! Josh is probably thinking, "If only she'd do that for me!"

Ok- Whatever

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