Rewind: April AND May

So let's rewind shall we to catch up on all I have neglected these few months.

Mid- April we had a family wedding in nowhere KS. But the hotel we stayed at was super nice {amenity wise}. And may I add that the kids view staying in any hotel as a major vacation. HA!

 Weddings are fun, but oh so boring to the kids; until the reception. Bring on the dancing and cake and they are happy. Actually we didn't get to stay long because they were running on empty and getting a tad cranky. Of course once we get back to the hotel room they are bouncing off the walls. MW was quite the comedian as we were all trying to go to sleep.

I hope they are always friends.

Look out word a crime fighting duo is on the prowl!

Who sleeps like this?!

I found this app called little hoots. A fun way to capture my "kids say the darnedest things" series. 

What can I say he is my little buddy. I have really loved all the time we get alone while sister is at school this year. It is our bonding time. He is a tad crazy and loves me fiercely, but I wouldn't trade him for the world.

I love her face. She went through a phase of wearing her hair like this. I have no idea where she learned this style but she rocked it. But she is growing up way too fast.

An impromptu picnic with friends at the park.

My mom wanted to take the kids to HOME. We don't have cable, so I don't see commercials and never know what movies are out. I wasn't sure what this movie was about and if we would even like it; but it was good. No Big Hero 6 in my book, but close the message of friendship was fantastic. Two thumbs up from the kids.

Our church did an amazing "Thank You" night for their Kidzworld volunteers at All Star sports. It's has several rides and we as a church group got to have free run. The kids loved it. It was a beautiful night for KS and a great night to ride rides and hang with friends!

Me and the girls on the Tilt a Whirl! Our favorite!!

Lo and MW school of beauty is now open. Daddy was their first satisfied client. 

Ah, gymnastics. It takes over my life in the spring with meets nearly every weekend. This is one of our gym tees and I hate t-shirts unless they are fitted. I learned this little trick from pinterest last year to fix all Lo's over-sized school tees and tried it on mine. NAILED IT. Basically you just lay a fitted tee you like on top, mark it, and then sew down the line, cut off the excess material {make a headband for your daughter out of it}. Easy, peasy, lemon squeezy. Tips: use a triple stretch stitch AND sew a little wider than your marks so there is more give. The end.

This daughter of mine. I love her. She got this from reading Audrey Bunny by Angie Smith. Amazing book and lesson!! Clearly my baby girl latched on.

Gymnastic meet "coma." All weekend long meets =exhaustion. But I love my job and the impact the girls have on me and sometimes I have on them. It is a blessing.

One day, well, actually since we moved in I wanted a new look for my living room. I was over the "country bumpkin" look as my husband loving refers to it as. BUT, there were more important things to do, update and spend $$ on. However, after 8+ years of the same living room, I got a spark under me and just took it all down. I thought 1). I will never be "inspired" with all of this still on the walls and 2). I am getting pretty good at tweaking and re-decorating with no money and stuff I have around the house. So here we go...I wanted a window pane for a focal point, but didn't know where on earth I would find one for a reasonable price...so I got to thinking about my frame collection that I hoard keep and decided I would just make one. So I did.

I even notched those flat "dowel" rods to make the grid. NAILED IT. I then sprayed painted the glass with looking glass spray paint to make it a mirror. Cost ~$9 {$8 of which was the spray paint!!}

There is more to come, but I am proud of how it is coming along with very minimal money spent. I feel like I am coming into my own on the decorating front and finding my "style" if you will. Each room tends to hold a lot of similar patterns and colors/hues, so I guess that is a good thing.

One Friday Lo was out of school, so we took advantage of our zoo membership. We all love the giraffes! Again another beautiful day in KS. Perfect zoo weather.

This photo cracks me up...the Giraffe is photo bombing us. HA!

My two favorite guys reading together! MW chose reading a book over TV. You have no idea how HUGE this is. HUGE!!!

My little gymnastic buddy now along with his favorite gymnastic bear. HA!

Happy Mother's Day to me! Being a mom is just about the greatest thing I have ever done in my life. I love these two so much. It's been 6 years, and I am still in awe that Chad and I made them. They are such a part of us each in so many ways it is frightening. A huge thank you to my MIL for taking the kids over night so I could get the day "off" to just do whatever, whenever. I ended up crafting the afternoon away! It was bliss. Then the next morning Chad got up early and got me QT coffee and breakfast, it's my favorite--aside from Scooter's but apparently they can't be asked to be open by 730a!

Last Tues we took in a WSU Shocker baseball game. Chad was gifted the tix for teacher appreciation week and since it was my only day off all week we took full advantage. MW was only there for the popcorn. We weren't able to stay the whole time but had a great family night none the less.

Lo: Micah you are a red head. Protect your head!! Protect your head!! 

A moment of sibling love!!

Wow. Long post.
I found this note while cleaning up Lo's room. You know while she is at school and can't intervene as I toss out 100 papers she has scribbled on. This is the first thing I have seen that she sounded out words on her own!! This was something I wasn't sure she was capable of yet.  It says : "Do Not Touch my number without Leighton's permission." I had to ask. And then she proceeded to tell me that even if we did ask she would tell us "no." HA!

Friday night we had Pre-Team and Team tryouts. Leighton was so nervous. See aforementioned fear of new situations and change in previous post. After I bribed her with Braum's if she would stop crying, mostly so I could do my job, she tried out. It was basically just a regular practice, but we moved through all the events with specific skills in mind that we would check off. Based on what we saw the coached would decide where they would fit best. Lo was already on pre-team so the next step is team. I was unsure and still am if she is truly ready, but technically skill wise she is...big decisions. She was most excited about getting a medal last night! I am proud of her and she has been working hard. As an added bonus I may get to coach her next year...not sure if that is good or bad?!?! HA!

Finally, Saturday we went to Stearman's for a grad party. It is an air strip/hanger/burger joint. When we arrived there was an Army Helicoptor parked outside and then were loading up. So naturally we had to watch it take off. The kids thought it was super cool and loud.

And that concludes our REWIND. Super long, and if you made it to the end YAY!!! Maybe next month I will get it together better?! Yeah, don't hold your breath. HA!

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Time for another hilarious {mostly to me and Chad} edition of Things my Kids Say.

Both the kids say "come at me bro" when "fighting." Courtesy of my sister Meg.
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M: We are out of peanut butter.
Lo: Well, we can make some. I read how in a book. {probably some history lesson on George Washington Carver}
M: Problem is sass is we don't have peanuts.
Lo: Mom, just go outside and get some from the tree.
M: Well you just think of everything don't you.
Lo: yes.

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I was rough housing MW after a few minutes he says "mom stop. You need to be nice to me. You are hurting my feelings."

2 seconds later.

MW: "Oh moooommmy---come and get me..."
BOYS!

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Before there was Frozen there was Pippi.
Once upon a time the kids were into Pippi Longstockings. {one of the best movies from my childhood}. The song goes a little something like this:



MW loves to sing and sing loudly when he first wakes up in the morning.
One morning we hear him singing "Pippi Yongstockings is com-ING to your TOWN!!!" Over and over.
Now he sings "Let it Go" Starting at "be the good girl you always have to be--conceal, don't feel." Over and over. He may be more into Frozen than Sass, just sayin.
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I can't remember where Lo got this but this may be her best come back yet.
Whenever anyone says something isn't fair she quickly responds with "The Fair comes in September!" BAHAHAHA!

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MW: "can I play the iPad?"
Daddy: No. AND don't ask your mother. End of story.
MW: "NO! Not a great story." Crosses arms and pouts.

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One morning ALL of us {including our 2 dogs} were sleeping in our Queen size bed.  Chad and I started saying that we would each just go take one of their beds so we could get some sleep.
Lo: NO! We need to sleep together as a family and sing campfire songs.

Me: where do you get this stuff kid?!

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MW is all about wiping lately, which you know is a good thing...but I just need to be sure we are clean. :)
MW: MOM! I did wipe. It's {his bottom} good as new!" Cracks me up every time.

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Snow Day Feb 4th
We kept putting off going out into the snow.
Finally Lo shouts "That's it! Put your iPads, phones, and pods down. It is TIME to go play in the snow NOW!!!"

demanding much...now you know why she is nicknamed Sass.

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Lo is all about playing baby dolls. She is quite the mommy. She puffs up big and proud whenever she has a mommy moment (pushing her baby in a shopping cart, using a mobi wrap etc.) and exclaims "I feel like a own mommy!"

However, she tends to pack a lot of stuff--I mean she IS a first time mom. HA!
M: Why on Earth do you need all of this stuff? {ie a bumbo, stroller, high-chair, blankets, diaper bag and so on...}
Lo: Well mom, babies eat, sit in bumbos and then sleep that is why!
M: Well I stand corrected.

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Micah: Oh yuck! Dogger Slob. {Instead of dog slobber. SO FUNNY!}
He secretly loves Thatchy Beau Jangy's kisses. Don't let him fool you.
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This last one isn't as much funny as endearing.
We had these little tables just being stowed away in our bedroom.
One Sunday morning as we were getting around MW just went and sat on one and said "Come buy me mom!"
I don't know where he got this idea, but he just wanted to know that out of all the little boys in the world I would still choose him.
So I indulged him and pretending to look high and low for just the perfect little boy. I would ask an invisible sales clerk if they had one with red hair and a sly grin. Then we would lock eyes and exclaim 'THERE! There is the perfect little boy! I want this one!! How much?!"
Oh how he would just giggle with glee. This game went on nearly every day, 50x a day.
Of course once a little Lo Lo Sass caught wind of the game she too promptly plopped down on that table hoping we would choose her!
Sweet kids.
I will always choose you!

Kids Say the Darndest Things {Pt2}

Yesterday I posted pt 1 of this huge list of funny quips. Man, could imagine if I had more kids how long the list would be. HA! One day I hope to compile a huge list and make a book for each kid full of the Things They Said. My MIL did this for Chad and it is hilarious to read through. Maybe someday I will post some of his childhood stuff, just so you know where my kids get this stuff from. HA!


Lo to MW: Get off my bed it isn't a jump house, mommy's is. 

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MW always says "sorry it was an AXE-I-Dent" no matter what he does. He could spill milk, or smack you with a toy {on purpose} the response is always the same. He says it so sweetly, you can't stay mad.

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We were having un-seasonably warm weather in December and I told MW to get outside and enjoy this beautiful weather.

MW: I don't WANT to enjoy the nice weather. 

1 minute passes while he sits inside.

MW: Ok. I guess I will enjoy the weather.

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MW loves to play the iPad. It started way back when I needed him to poop on the potty. I would give it to him to relax his mind and just do his business. Well now anytime he has to go he yells "I need to go poop, get me the iPad!" 

If daddy is home and playing with the iPad when the urge strikes MW whispers to me "I go to the potty, will you neak {sneak} it from him {daddy}. HA! 

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MW: mommy will you play that Gorilla song?

M: What song is that buddy? Could you sing it for me?

MW: yeah, I sing it. OH OH OHhhhhhhhh.

M: Do you mean "I can't stop singin' singin' about you; I can't stop shoutin' Oh oh ohhhh.

MW: {very matter of fact like I am incompetent} Yeah, that the one I talkin' bout.

M: of course how silly of me. 

Lo: Why wouldn't he just say the Oh oh ohhh song? What a doof {goof} ball

M: Good question Lo...don't know.

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Lo loves to play the game Hay Day on the iPad--some sort of farmville app game she and daddy do. Anyway, she was playing on it while daddy was at school and looked at me and said
"mom, I just don't understand WHY daddy can't tell me what to do on this game to help him while he is at work. I am home and can do it."

So I emailed daddy and told him her dilemma. He emails back--tell her to check the boat and fill those orders. I convey the message to her to which she exclaims "FINALLY! Some direction."
I nearly died.
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Both of them are constantly fighting about who is first born. Like it makes one better than the other. Finally the other day Lo conceded a bit and said "Well, you are the first born BOY Micah!"
I thought that was pretty good.
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We are having a teeny tiny mouse problem in our garage. Yesterday the kids were outside eating a popcorn snack and I wanted to be clear that no popcorn was to be left on the garage floor for the mice. I went back inside to do a few things and in walks Micah.
"It smells like mouse poop out there that why we come inside."
Boys and their poop talk! Anyway he can work it into a convo.
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MW loves to tell me "you are wasting my time!"
I have no idea where he has heard that 1000x before. ;)
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Thatcher is a puppy.
Puppies love to chew on everything.
Thatcher found MW's beloved rubber ducky and chewed it a bit. No real harm was done.
When we gave it back to Micah he said "is 'ubber ducky 'urt {hurt}?" in the most sad and devastated voice he could muster.
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Both of the kids back seat drive me. I can't drive anywhere without hearing
*mom you almost got us in a wreck {not true}
*mom turn here.
*mom go our special way...no no you missed it mom!
*mom go faster
*mom you are going way too fast, slow down.
*mom go on that bridge
and the list goes on. I can hardly wait for driving lessons in the next 10 years.
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Meg was out with Lo while she was riding her bike.
Meg: man, I am getting kind of tired can I hope on your back.
Lo: Don't be silly, that is not possible.
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I call the kids hoot bears. Because they are funny. Real hoots, get it...okay.
I say this to MW all.the.time. It has never bugged him before, but today when I said he was a hoot bear he responded with "STOP calling me a 'oot bear. It 'urts my feelings. Call yo-self a 'oot bear."
Wow buddy tell me how you really feel. :)
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This is my favorite.
The kids were playing in the sandbox. In comes MW and I just knew he was getting ready to tattle on Lo.
"Mom, her messed up my sand bucket. I so ANGRY!!"
M: sorry buddy, I will talk to her in a second.
As I say this he turns to go back out and I hear this "UGGGGGGHHHH!! growl come out of his mouth as he stomps down the stairs. I will laugh on this one for days!

That's a wrap folks.

Kids Say the Darndest Things {Pt1}

I haven't done one of these in forever and it isn't for the lack of hilarious things coming out both kids' mouths. My word they are sassy and quick witted. That's what happens when one sassy parent and one very quick witted parent come together and make babies. You get hilarious children. The level at which they are beginning to participate in our sarcasm makes our hearts swell. I have no idea why that isn't a fruit of the spirit we would all be set. HA!

Mostly it is for lack of mommy's memory and self deception that I will in fact remember what it is they say. So I finally found a crayon Thatcher hadn't chewed to bits and a piece of paper and wrote several down. {And I found some in a blog post I never published...so this list is long, so I decided to break it up into 2 parts. Hopefully you will get a good laugh.}

In no particular order.

We recently started using lavender oil to help us {aka Lo and I} to sleep better and her really just to GO TO BED! This convo occured the next morning.

Lo: Mom, did you sleep good using this stuff {lavender oil}.

M: yes I did. You?

Lo: YES! Man, I could barely read one book and then I was {acts out passing out like a light}. 

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Apparently I missed the memo that is was mis-matched day.
Mommy: Leighton please change I can't stand seeing you so mis-matched. {It's a disorder really.}
Lo: Well, mom for one point I don't want to waste clothes and make you do more laundry.
{She may or may not have heard that a time or seventeen.}

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Folding laundry. I noticed she put a pair of MW's undies in her pile and a pair of her's in MW's pile.
Um, Lo did you check the undie piles?
Lo: Well! I am not finished and I will get it straighten out in a minute.
BAHAHA!

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A few weeks ago {this summer!} Lo cut her ankle and achilles tendon area on a chair--badly. It ended up being ok and not needing stitches. Anyway, she was hopping around on one foot--you know to keep the dramatic value high and then the following conversation took place.
Daddy: Leighton walk on your foot instead of hopping all around.
Lo: Why?!
Daddy: Because you are going to fall and hurt yourself more. {It is a little known fact she is the most "graceful" child to live. ever.}
Lo: Why?
Daddy: Because you are a GINORMOUS KLUTZ like daddy, that's why!
I am still laughing about this--it is so true.

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I do puppets at church for the little kids. In my tree house I have a camera and I can see the kids. I love this, so I can spy on Lo when she doesn't know it. Anyway, I see her laying on the floor rolling around and acting bored during the lesson. When we get home from church I ask her about the lesson.
Lo: I don't remember the lesson...
Mommy: Well, maybe if you weren't laying down you could have paid attention better.
Lo: Well mom God gave me EARS so laying down doesn't really matter.
Mommy: touché

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This is why we have TWO kids for the sibling camaraderie.
Leighton got hurt at the park {see aforementioned gracefulness}. MW came over to check on her and to give her a hug and kiss.
Lo: why he do that?
Daddy: Because he loves you and he wants to make sure you are ok. Isn't that nice?
Lo: well this morning he was choking me.
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Somehow the catch phrase when "pigs can fly" came up in conversation. Leighton pipes up from the backseat and very matter of factually and borderline insistently states "No. They can NOT fly."
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Daddy loves shoes. Daddy orders lots of shoes to try on from a little company called Zappos.

The UPS man delivers a new box nearly every day. One day a new box arrived. Lo sees it and without missing a beat says "Hey dad, this box says ZAPPOS!" 

Why wouldn't that be her first word to read, it is as if we have our own shipping facility here now.

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We go to church on Saturday night. The timing can be a tad tricky due to nap wake up times, but we usually make it work. As in we drag MW out of bed, throw some pants on him and run out the door. As you can imagine this makes for just a slightly cranky boy; doesn't bother me he is going to the nursery. :) Just kidding. He is always happy for them. 

ANYWAY one afternoon in the car as MW was crying and whining I said "man, waking up is really  hard isn't buddy?"

Lo: Well, {comedic pause} that is why I don't take naps.

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We are big into Care Bears right now. They watch them all--old and new. On one of the shows, The Nutcracker, they face rats and apparently they call each other "cheese eaters." When the kids are trying to name call or really get someone they yell "Take that you cheese eater!" {I should probably be a better parent and not laugh, but I do.}

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My kids are now to the age where what they hear on shows is very influential and they repeat it. They watch good shows, so no worries. However, one day we were in Target and they were in the cart playing with a calculator shouting at one another over and over "anyone want to play 2 player?!" For the life of me I didn't get it. Where on earth did they learn this? We don't even play video games. Finally, it dawns on me. CARE BEARS strikes again. 

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We have been decorating for Christmas. I put Lo in charge of her little tree downstairs. I hear her tell Chad. "Finally, this is MY year! I get to help mommy decorate."

I nearly wet my pants laughing upstairs. She was just thrilled to help. The funny thing is I always let her help me, but the pride she had being in full command of that tree may or may not have reminded me of Monica Gellar myself.

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We are working on Lo making her bed every morning. I have my reasons. One morning she did it all without me asking.

M: Wow! And you did all of this without me asking?!

Lo: Wll, sometimes I like to do it without you asking and sometimes I want you to tell me 100x to do it.

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And that concludes pt. 1
come back tomorrow for pt 2.
I know you want too. :)

Kids Say the Darnedest Things

In some ways I wish I could just record every word that comes out of my kids' mouths. If you only knew how choosy I was with the "jokes" I record. Their dad is hilarious---to other people; sometimes to me, but mostly other people and our kids. So naturally these two yahoos would take after his witty sense of humor.

For instance:

The kids were fighting. I am big on making them repeat Bible verses as part of the re-direction/correction process.
M: A Friend Loves at ALL times...Proverbs 17:17
MW: I NOT love Lei Lei all times.
M: ::trying to fight back a smirk and laugh:: Not kind Micah, not kind, she is your very best friend, so treat her like one!
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Micah apologizes all.the.time. If he barely taps you it's "I'm sorry mama..." I was telling Chad this--
Chad: "Well, he's a man, he is just practicing for the future when that is all he will do."
M: Funny.
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MW: Lei Lei loves me MUCH! ::hugs her very tight!::
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Micah is potty trained as you know. And his new thing to do is say "wiggle wiggle wiggle" as he goes potty while wiggle wiggle wiggling his boy parts. I just think it is too funny not to share or remember, sorry if you are offended. :) Not sure where he learned it, but I suppose it doesn't take boys long to figure that out. HA!

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I have this new sleep app and it monitors my sleep. Chad gets into bed like a herd of elephants, messing up my app. So I tell him this.
Chad: oh this from you Miss Gymnastic flips all over the bed all night.
M: Whatever, I am as graceful as a ballerina.
Chad: A ballerina who is tripping over her toe shoes.
{one of those rare moments I found him funny-most likely because I was tired. ;) )
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Chad started calling Lo Lil Bit.
Lo: Well come on big bit.
Chad completely dumb founded...
M: you called her Lil Bit, so she is calling YOU big bit.
Lo: Yeah, see daddy. Lil bit (points to herself). Big bit (points to daddy).
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Leighton was not napping. When I got on her she said "Well, God told me to wake up and clean up this mess!"
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She plays draw something with the neighbors. I hear her shout "Micah scribbled this and then her no guess it now." Probably had to be there, but it was hilarious. Micah is always up in her grill and she takes her draw something game very serious.
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One afternoon after Easter we were walking around the neighborhood and she found a lost plastic egg in someone's yard. She opened it and it was empty she exclaims "HE IS RISEN!!!" {thank you Resurrection Eggs!}
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Leigthon is learning to spell. One day she spelled cat on her own K-A-T and shows me. Mommy what does this say?
M: Cat, but honey Cat starts with a "C" not a "K."
Lo: well then what does THIS spell {shows me the same word KAT}
M: Cat, but cat starts with a "C."
Lo: but mommy then what does this spell.
M: CAT!!!!!! I know it doesn't make sense, but cat starts with a "C" not a "K."
Lo: Fine then mommy, but I still don't know what this spells.
M: heavy sigh. This is why I am NOT a teacher...

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Leighton has been into re-naming everyone lately. She has re-named Micah--Kason, Brecken, and Kasalyn. One day she called him one of these names for the 100th time and Micah shouts loudly in the middle of the store "my name is MICAH!"
BAHAHAHA!

The Things Leighton Says {Fashion Edition}

Leighton dresses herself. Every morning.
Most days she is quite the fashionista and I am impressed with her outfits. I may do a post on her clothes one day. But then there are days like today...

Mommy: Uh, honey, you look like you got dressed in the dark this morning.
Lo: {in a very matter of fact tone}: No mom I didn't. I asked daddy to turn on the light.
Mommy and Meg--literally on the floor laughing until we nearly peed our pants!

She DID change before we left the house. Most days I can overlook some of her minor fashion faux pas, but this--this was too much even for me!

So what does a good mom do--take pics. Then MW wanted his picture taken and this diva couldn't share the lime light!

So he promptly karate kicks her out of the shot! Seriously my new favorite picture!!

Ah! Much better...I cute and I know it!

The End.