You got to get up, You got to get up... It's Christmas Morning!

When we were little at my house we used to sing that song to each other every Christmas. Oh, the memories.... I felt like singing it to my kids Christmas morning. I got up at 7:00 with Jack. We sat and watched Good Morning America waiting for Max and Grant to wake up. I went into their room at 8:30 and said their names. Nothing. I thought if they're that tired I better let them sleep because I didn't want crabby boys on Christmas. Max finally came out at 8:45. He had to go wake Grant up. So much for the anticipation of Christmas keeping you awake!

funny things

Yesterday my mom told me about my brother waking up in his house to find food, paper, etc scattered all over the place. Adam has been home alone since all of his roommate have already gone home for Christmas break. Adam opened a cabinet to find a big hole that had been chewed in the wall. Apparently, an animal "broke in" to his house and made a big mess searching for food. I was relaying the story to Nate when I got off the phone with my mom. Max was listening. He said, "Was it a beaver? They are really good chewers."

This morning I was getting Grant dressed. I told him first, we had to put on his undershirt. He said, "Why do I have to wear an underwear shirt?"

Grant continues to have no interest in the potty. I explained to him that big boys use the potty, they don't poop in their pull-ups. He pointed to his pull-up and said, "This is my potty."

Bathing Beauties

The week after Thanksgiving my grandparents stayed at their time share in Bella Vista. There is an enormous bath tub there that ALL the boys enjoy. This photo may be a little alarming to some... (don't worry, I checked to make sure everything was covered) An easy way to get everyone clean with little work for me. It takes about 30 minutes to fill up the enormous tub. They must have one massive water heater.

preacher man

Max came home from church a couple weeks ago telling us all about King David. He said, "David saw a girl taking a bath and he wanted her to be his wife. But she was already married so David sent her husband to war so her husband would die and he could marry her. Then they had a baby but their baby died." Speaking the truth.

That same week Grant came home telling us all about "John the Bappiss" We were reading a book and I pointed to a picture of a bunny, "What's that?"
G: John the Bappiss
S: What? That's a bunny.
G: Nope. That John the Bappiss. John the Bappiss nice. I like him.
Every conversation for the next hour was like that. Grant insisted everything we talked about was somehow related back to "John the Bappiss."

Jack didn't tell us about anything he learned. I think all they do in there is eat and play....

the Crocodile Hunt

When we told Max about Steve Irwin dying he thought for a minute then said, "Well, I guess I'll have to be the new Crocodile Hunter." Hence, the Crocodile Hunter birthday party.

The little guys went on a crocodile & snake hunt, hit the pinata lots of times (the dads and other male grown-ups had to add their strength), had their pictures taken as the crocodile hunter and of course, ate cake.

Max started out his party looking cute in clothes I had picked out for him. Early on, he disappeared and came out in a t-shirt and shorts. Britney said he tried to come out in his underpants but she told him he better wear clothes to his party.

A good time was had by all... and I am so glad it's over!

So excited to be 5!

Max is thrilled to be 5. He keeps telling Grant he is the biggest because he is 5 now.
Grant said, "Well, I big too."
Max said, "But you're only almost 3. I'm 5."
Grant said, "Mama, I 6."
I said, "Really, you're 6?"
Max said, "No you're not. You're almost 3!"
Grant said, "No. I 6. Mama said."

Oh, to be so excited to get older!

(I was trying to take Max's birthday picture but Grant REALLY wanted to be in the picture, too.)

Rocky Mountain High

I love this picture of all my boys. Max is pouting because no one is pushing him, Jack is at a stand still and Grant and Nate are flying high. So pretty with the mountains in the background. I want to live there.

Super Brothers

Where there's one brother who wants to be a superhero there will be more...



Max suggested taking a picture of he and Grant in their costumes to put by our house so robbers will be scared and go away.

our faraway friends

Since the Loibners don't have their own blog I thought I'd give them a little press. Whitney just sent these pictures which speak for themselves. Sweet little Wilson and Campbell...

Some favorite Loibner memories:
1. Our first community group... with the Vaughts and the Walkers
2. Living 2 doors down and eating dinner together all the time
3. Playing nerts... also some of the most disturbing memories because of Peter
4. Peter's scream when we told them we were pregnant with Max.
5. Peter taking us for a ride in his new car (which was a stick shift) to try to make me go into labor when I was way past due with Max.
6. Running errands with Whitney and just hanging out during the day with our boys
7. The lady on brophy who had a yard sale every week
8. The first time we hung out and drank wine at their first apartment
9. Co-leading our fun CG
10. Whitney's cooking

Oh, the good ol' days...

We miss you and can't wait to see you again!

the sweet one

Jack is 7 months old which means his age rounds to 1 year which means the end of his sweetness is approaching. My last consistently sweet baby....

Hiking to the crag

We went on a little hike with friends to Hawksbill Crag (I think that is the name of it... if not, it's something close to that). It was a beautiful day and an enjoyable walk to the crag... the hike back was a little more strenuous since Grant decided he wasn't going to walk any more. He wanted Nate to carry him in the back-pack but for some reason Nate didn't think that was a good idea. In the end, I was carrying Jack, Nate was carrying Grant, and no one was in the back-pack.

Buckaroo #2

Grant got dressed up in his cowboy gear so I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to take some great pictures of him. We have pictures of my dad, brother and Max in their cowboy duds so of course we need some of G-man. You can imagine how cooperative he was...

Nate asked if the sun was in his eyes...no, it wasn't.

He wanted to pose by the air conditioner and the gas meter.

For the record, Grant doesn't care that real cowboys don't wear pull-ups.

Spider Update

I told the Terminex guy about my spider experience. He said, "Yeah. It was probably a wolf spider. They are rampid right now. They are getting in everyone's houses." I told him I hated them and I didn't want anymore anywhere near my house. His reassuring reply was, "They're vicious too. If you go after them and miss them they'll come after you. Their bite won't kill you though."

Holy crap.

Don't leave!

My mom has been here all week. It is so nice having some extra, helpful hands around. She left yesterday. Back to reality... (quiet sobs)

Back down from the mountain

We had such a good time in Colorado. It's nice to escape from reality, however brief it may be. Driving with 3 young boys is an adventure all in it's own. I think Max only peed in a cup while driving once and on the side of the road a couple times. Of course, Grant wanted to pee on the side of the highway, too. One of the perks of boys. When they have to go NOW, they can!

The boys camped out in my parents' back yard, went fishing, hiking and exploring. A dream come true for my crocodile hunter and counter-part. Grant was a little confused when we walked around Bear Lake. He kept looking for the bears. Fortunately, it snowed while we were walking around the lake and driving through Rocky Mountain National Park. Even we go to CO in the summer, Max expects snow!

Max's Colorado Perspective

Max is still working on his "book." He has taken LOTS of pictures... hundreds.


These are just a few of the many he took in Colorado.

2 in underpants? Could it be true?

Grant has decided to use the potty. He doesn't like the big potty but he really likes his little potty. He's been using it on and off for a couple of weeks, including while in Colorado which is a huge accomplishment in my eyes. Yesterday we hit the gold mine...poop in the potty! It actually started with poop on the grass but in the end, poop in the potty was accomplished. Today, as promised, he got to pick out big boy underpants of his very own. (He looks like he might be trying to poop in this picture!)

I might write a book on how to potty train boys:
1) Put out a little potty.
2) Tell your child the little potty is there.
3) Let them use it when they want.
(Maybe it would be better off as a pamphlet.)

This was much easier than the year of trying to force Max to use it. I like Dr. Phil but his so called potty-train-in-a-day method is a bunch of crap. All it did was cost a lot of money for the peeing doll and party supplies.

Go Grant Go! (For those of you unfamiliar with Diego, that was in reference to his new Diego underpants. Whitney and Jenny Beth will know.)

CG boys

Our community group has been blessed with lots of baby boys this past year. They are quite a good looking troop. I think Parker, Drew and Jack may become like the 3 amigos... they'll get in lots of trouble together. I hope no one took for granted the "easy" year you had because the good times are just beginning!

More from Max

Max has become quite the documentary maker. I'm a little afraid of what he might catch on the camera! He has literally taken hundreds of pictures. He told me he is taking them for his book. Apparently, he let Grant take a couple of pictures this time. Sometimes, he takes the camera without me knowing it. I found it outside on the picnic table a couple days ago. It had spent the night there... fortunately, it had not rained or I may have been arrested for abuse of a minor.