A Visit from Grandma and Grandpa

We got a special visit from Grandma and Grandpa this weekend. We're very lucky that they are able to visit us a couple of times a year. Here's a selection of some of the weekend's greatest moments.

~Erin and Grandma sitting at the dining room table playing Go Fish and Old Maid - over and over and over again.
~Jeffrey and Grandpa sitting at the dining room table pushing his favorite trucks back and forth while Grandpa sang "I've Been Working on the Railroad" (bet he didn't know I heard that part).
~Erin barging into our bedroom at 7:00 announcing that she was going down to wake grandma up....OK Erin, just go you don't need to tell me.
~Having an entire movie theater to ourselves for Jeffrey's first movie - Night at the Museum.
~Dining out at the Japanese Hibachi place for Tom's birthday with Erin entertaining Grandpa the whole evening (and eating his steak) while mommy and daddy did their best to entertain a very overtired Jeffrey, who still managed to eat Grandma's steak, daddy's chicken and mommy's shrimp.
~Did I mention Go Fish and Old Maid?
~"Thunder and Lightening", Jeffrey's "Cars" book that Grandpa had to read at least 10 times in a row.
~Discovering that Jeffrey needs a size 7 or 7 1/2 shoe and can wear 3T shirts and shorts. Oh My!!!!!
~Introducing Grandma and Grandpa to wrestle with daddy time...we all laughed soo hard.
~Jeffrey and Grandpa vegging out in front of the Weather Channel.
~Don't forget about that "Cars" book grandpa.
~Erin barging in at 7:00 announcing that "Mommy, It Snowed!!!!"
~Lastly the ever popular Go Fish, Old Maid and......"Cars" book.

Shameless Picture Post

Shameless Picture Post!!!! Here are some of my most recent favorite pictures of the kiddos. I promise I didn't pick too many.


I don't get these kinds of snuggles from my little man very often. I'll take all I can get.


Erin wore her new Valentine's Day outfit to Church and needed to have her Reindeer along with her to keep her company.


Getting a special horsey ride from daddy...a double decker one!!!


Jeffrey's new obsession is running into the bathroom and pulling his pants down right after sister is done in the potty. NO I'm not training him yet, but he thinks it's fun to take his pants off and sit on the potty for 2.8 seconds.


Playing together, working together, sharing with each other and not screaming....what else could a mommy ask for?

A Visit with Noni, Oma and Grandpa

Since Noni had the day off on President's day I decided to surprise Erin by taking her and Jeffrey up for a visit. I got her up in the morning and told her she needed to get dressed quickly as we were going on a surprise trip. Oh I know mommy....is it my birthday party? Are we going to my birthday party? That was her first conclusion, that her surprise was her birthday party. She kept at this fascination for about 30 minutes. By that time I had loaded enough things into the car that it seemed as if we were going to stay for a week and not a night. As we started driving Erin explained how excited she was that she was going to her birthday party. I told her that I didn't think her surprise was going to be a birthday party. That she would have to wait for that. Her birthday party would be on a warmer day that she could wear shorts and short sleeves and play outside. And play soccer, added Erin. Sure, and play soccer.

About half way through the trip Erin abandoned the idea of a birthday party and decided we were going to a parade. She became very excited about going to the parade. As I hit a little traffic she got more and more upset because she was afraid the parade was going to start without us. I let her know that the parade wouldn't start without us. But asked her if she was sure her surprise was a parade. Yes mommy, you're taking me to a parade. Very matter of fact. She was certain.

Only when we pulled into the driveway at my folks house did she put it all together and realize we were at Noni and Oma's (and Grandpa's too). I carried both kids inside and plopped them down. Jeffrey went straight for the dog. Erin ran right downstairs to find Oma. Parade totally forgotten about.

We spent a nice day at the house coloring, reading stories, eating grilled cheese sandwiches and playing piano. I also brought all of their snow things (thanks to Noni, Jeffrey finally has a pair of boots and both kids have waterproof pants). There was a nice amount of snow remaining in the back yard. When Jeffrey woke up from his nap we bundled up and went out to play. There was a crust on the snow that wasn't slippery, but you had to work to break through also. It was great for running and sliding around on plastic bags ---sleds next year I guess. Jeffrey ran around the back yard chasing the dog like a madman. Erin had Noni pull her around on her "sled". We also played on the swing set and made snow angles.

After all that playing we decided to take Grandpa out for a late birthday dinner. We went to one of Noni's favorite places where we could still eat sensibly and bring the kids. On the way in I grabbed their Magnadoodles from the back of the car (that I bring along for car trips) thinking this place might not have crayons. Proud of myself for grabbing them we walked in and were seated quickly.....right next to a couple who had brought in a portable DVD player to entertain their son. I felt not so creative anymore.

We all had a great dinner. Erin and Jeffrey ordered hot dogs and tried some Mac & Cheese bites which were really yummy. Jeffrey sat between Grandpa and Noni and was so good throughout all of dinner. Both shared bites from everyone else...including Oma's lamb....which Erin asked for more of. Jeffrey enjoyed his ketchup and the artwork he could make on the table....AND IN HIS HAIR...with ketchup on the end of his fork. Of course I had to take a picture on my phone of Jeffrey with a large streak of ketchup in his blond hair before we wiped it off....the DVD people thought I was a little nuts I'm pretty sure. We finished off with Erin ordering Raspberry Sorbet and Jeffrey eating most of Noni's bread pudding.

After getting home Jeffrey got his hair washed and was ready for bed. Erin went downstairs with Oma and played until they fell asleep. Mommy and Noni watched some Supernanny and CSI and caught up on all kinds of things. We left mid-morning the next day. Erin completely in tears because she wasn't ready to leave yet. Even in the car she kept crying ---until a quick stop at McDonald's for OJ and a hash brown had her all smiles again. It certainly was a great day spent with family.

Hapy Valentine's Day

We just wanted to say Happy Valentine's Day to everyone. Mommy made a little movie of us together. Here's the link:

LOVE Movie

Just click on the link and it should start downloading. It might just go directly into your Media Player (does for me). If you get an option screen, select "Open" the file and it should play fine in Window's Media Player.

Hope everyone has a wonderful LOVE-filled Day!!!

Wednesday Morning....

Erin -- Mommy Mommy.....Look out the window!
Mommy -- Erin, I'm going to teach you how to tell time so you don't come yelling at me at 7:15. What is it?
E -- Mommy Mommy....Look out the window!
M -- What is it Erin?
E -- Mommy mommy...Look out the window!
M(realizing she's not going to get anywhere without looking out the window) -- Ooohhh look it snowed. Isn't it pretty?
E -- Let's go out and play.
M -- A little later hunny, why don't you come snuggle for a bit.
Jeffrey (from other room) -- MOMMMMMMMYYYY!!!!
E -- Mommy, Jeffrey's awake! You have to go get him. He needs you.
M (realizing her efforts to remain in bed are futile) -- Ok, let's get him.

So mommy convinces Erin and Jeffrey to snuggle for a little bit and watch Disney. But Erin could only wait soooo long to go play outside. Flash forward to around 10 AM after breakfast and some playtime.

M -- OK should we get ready to go outside now?
E -- Yes Yes Yes!
J -- No (response to everything)
M -- Let's go upstairs and get some clothes on to go outside. Erin you get out of your PJ's while I get Jeffrey ready. Hmmm Jeffrey, you don't really have good snow clothes. Let's put on these old sweatpants and a pair of footie PJ's underneath. That will keep your legs warm. Sound good? Good!
E (hollering from the potty) -- Mommy wipe!
M -- Just a second Sweetie. There we go. OK let's get some clothes on. Comfy? Good. OK, let's get boots and jackets on.
E -- Is this the right foot mommy?
M -- Yep...good work.
E (throws boot across room) -- I Can't Do it!!!!
M -- Calm down, let's do it together. See? There we go. Now, do you know where Jeffrey's boots are? (after a check in his room and the basement we find them in the basket where I first looked). Let's put Jeffrey's boots on. OK Jeffrey push. Push. Let me loosen them. Yeah, this isn't going to work. Well you can't go out in your sneakers. I know...sister's old boots. Yes, I know they're pink, but it will be ok. OK Jeffrey, push.
E -- Mommy I wanna go outside.
M -- We're working on it. Ok, bud, this isn't going to work. Pants off. Footie pants off. Pull your socks up. Pink boots on. There we go bud. Now for coats.
E -- Mommy I need my mittens.
M -- I think they are in the basement. Let me check. Ok Erin, no they're not here. We'll wear different ones.
E -- NO!!! I need my pink gloves.
M (looking for other mittens) -- Erin you're going to have to wear other ones.
E -- There they are mommy. There they are. See them! Up there. I need those ones.
M -- Ok Erin. I see them. Coats on. (5 minutes later) Ok, coats are on. Let's get mittens and hats on. Push. Push your hands guys. Keep pushing them. Ok this is the best it's gonna get. Let's go outside!
E -- YAY!!!
J -- YAY!!!

Outside playing in snow...Jeffrey's pink boots keeping his feet fairly warm. Three minutes later.....

Erin -- Potty! Mommy I have to go potty.

Sigh...thankfully our neighbor and her daughter had joined us for some snow playing. Mommy runs Erin inside, gets her undressed and puts her on the potty. Ten seconds later Erin is "all done" and we go back outside.

Lessons learned?
1 -- Buy Jeffrey snow boots....even if he might grow out of them. Otherwise it's big pink boots for him.
2 -- Plan a good 40 minutes to get dressed and get outside.
3 -- Find mittens that will stay on.
4 -- Make sure they really really want to be outside....otherwise it's 40 minutes preparation for 10 minutes of play.
and most importantly...
5 -- Go Potty First.

No matter. We had fun playing in the snow again. Erin made more snow angles and played hiking up the hill. Jeffrey played on the slide and tried to clear the cars off. I guess is was all worth it.

My Bubble-ishous

Ever since Erin was teeny tiny one of the gentlemen at our church has fondly called her "My Bubble-ishous". Probably because she had these great big cheeks and went through a phase of blowing bubbles and raspberries when she was about 4 months old. Anyway he and Erin have had a special bond since then. He sings in the choir and will let her sit with him while we rehearse and she always finds him after service for a special hug.

Recently after church Erin was trying very hard to tell me she had to go find.....well I couldn't make out what she was saying. After about 5 minutes she grabbed my hand and we went walking around church looking for what she wanted to show me. Eventually we found him. Let me give you an image of what this gentleman. He's a tall, broad, African American gentleman who has a son in high school - not a small man by any definition of the word. He was at one point high school principal of the year. Erin saw him...pointed to him and yelled, "There he is...there's my Bubble-ishous." I can assure you this is the first time anyone has called him by such a nickname. To this day she still looks for her Bubble-ishous every time we are in church and always makes sure she gets her hug.

New Game?

So Tom and I decided that as part of our New Year's goals we'd make an effort to get the kids in bed a little earlier (especially Erin) and keep the play area on the main floor a little more cleaned up. So we started out by explaining to Erin that before bed we would take 5 minutes to clean up. We'd set the timer and say, "OK, clean up time!" Well....that fell flat on it's face. Erin would throw a fit because the timer generally has negative connotations (timeout or a time frame to finish dinner). So she would just get overly dramatic whine and cry while Tom and I put away the toys. Jeffrey became more interested with every toy we tried to put away and he'd run to get it back out so he could play with it.

So after a week or so of that I came up with another idea. I let Erin pick out a CD. We play 2 songs really loud and during those two songs it's "clean up time." Erin immediately latched onto it and would run around finding all the toys and bring them to me saying "where does this go mommy?". After 3 or 4 nights she had learned where everything went. Jeffrey was still in the playing with everything phase so getting him to help was a little more difficult. I finally figured that out by giving him one thing and saying, "Hey can you put the airplane back on the shelf buddy?" He'd immediately put it away and come back to me for something else. He knew exactly where to put it also.

So we've made some good progress with this. We knew we had hit gold the other night when I had this conversation with Erin....

Mommy - "OK, let's go up and get jammies on"
Erin - "Nooooooo" (runs to the stairs and buries her head)
Mommy - "Erin I didn't say time to go to bed, I just said let's go get jammies on."
Erin - (peeking up from the steps and sobbing) "But we didn't clean up yet mommy."

That's is she won...we grabbed the World Playground CD, cranked up the volume and put away the toys. Pretty cool huh?