Dancing Stars

Miko the Cat: Photos by Jonathan

2009-05-07T13:47:00.003-06:00

Eric the Astronaut

2009-05-07T09:39:00.001-06:00

Rocket Park Neenah WI

2009-05-07T09:35:00.004-06:00

Easter 2009

2009-05-07T09:30:00.004-06:00

We spent a lovely easter holiday with my family in Neenah, Wisconsin. The kids and adults alike had an egg hunt in the yard. We also had to search for our easter baskets in the yard. Mine was on the roof of the garage. :)

Our New Cat, Miko

2009-05-05T08:05:00.002-06:00

MEOW!

Mr. Eric

2009-05-05T08:04:00.001-06:00

Happy 7th Birthday Jonathan! Muah!

2009-05-05T07:54:00.004-06:00

My "baby" turned seven March 19, 2009! We had a fabulous party for him at the Brunswick Bowl in Blaine. It was a Cosmic Bowling party with 8 friends and family, the limbo, chicken dance, bowling, pizza, soda, cake and gifts. The kids had so much fun and the best part was no mess or running or yelling in my house! Here are a few shots of the birthday boy!

Christmas 2008...Better Late Than Never

2009-01-16T10:41:00.004-06:00

Out of the Mouth of Babes

2009-01-16T10:39:00.002-06:00

Yesterday when I was eating lunch with Eric he said to me,

"Mommy. When I grow up, I want to be a Grandpa Chuck."

Where O Where?

2008-12-03T14:25:00.002-06:00

Where have the Matthews' gone? We are still here. Just haven't been taking any photos lately plus my computer is broken again at home so there is no way to download any pictures at this time.

We just celebrated Thanksgiving at Jay's parent's home. This year everyone in the family brought a dish to share so no one person(s) would have to take on the full burden of preparing a meal. It worked quite well and all the food was delicious. We enjoyed pumpkin and apple pie for dessert as well as a friendly bingo game or two. Eric loves the bingo game!

Not much new around here really. Christmas is rapidly approaching and we have no Christmas decorations up yet. Nor any gifts purchased. I'm starting to feel some pressure. Better get on it!

Eric's 4th Birthday

2008-10-22T10:15:00.009-06:00

Yesterday was Eric's 4th Birthday! We held his party from 5:30 to 7:00 so the whole day was filled with the question, "Can I have some cake now?" Jay and I decided to make the cake this year and we had a fun time decorating it. Eric helped put the jumbo sprinkles on the cake which he really enjoyed doing. Jeff, Jermaine, Jenna, Jade, Jennifer, Scott, Anna, Zach, John and Jackie all came over to help us celebrate. It was a fun party and Eric now gets to say he is four like Jaden! When the festivities were over, Eric wanted to know how many days until he turned 5. It could be a long year.

Como Zoo Boo 2008

2008-10-22T10:05:00.007-06:00

On Sunday afternoon I took the boys to Como Zoo for their Zoo Boo event. We had to wait in line for quite a while and I thought the kids were going to lose it. But, we got in and Jonathan commented, "This is so much fun mom. Thanks for bringing us." How cute was that? Eric's continuous comment was, "I want more candy." We had a lot of fun and look at all the cute photos I got of the kids.

Our House's New Look

2008-09-09T16:39:00.003-06:00

After the Memorial Day Weekend tornado that moved through our neighborhood, we had to get new soffits and fascia on our house. We decided cream was a much nicer color than brown. In addition to the soffits and fascia we decided to purchase all new gutters. Once that job was finished, Jay began the two month process of painting the whole house green instead of the barfy brown. The house looks so nice! Jay did a great job. And we are very glad it is finished. Come for a visit and you can help us admire the house before the snow flies.

Harvest Fest Ramsey Minnesota

2008-09-07T17:04:00.004-06:00

I took the boys to Lord of Life's Harvest Fest on Friday to get out of the house and do something fun. We went with my friend Shelah and her son Wyatt. The boys got to play on bouncy things, ride some rides, eat some junk food, and spend all of mom's money. They also saw my favorite local band, G.B. Leighton, perform and enjoyed a fireworks show. At some point during the band, I got the boys to dance a little bit but they weren't really that excited about it. Jonathan thought the fireworks were AWESOME, but Eric wouldn't even look at the fireworks. Neither boy seemed impressed by the band so they used the camera for a while and took some interesting shots. They also played around on the cell phone. The night got a bit late for them both so when Jay came to pick them up, they were very ready to go home to bed. Jay was such a sweetie to come and get them after work so that I could stay to see the rest of the show. GB rocks!

Eric is A Sweetie

2008-09-07T17:03:00.003-06:00

First Day of First Grade

2008-09-07T16:27:00.003-06:00

Jonathan started 1st grade on September 2, 2008. We took him out for breakfast and I drove him to school. Since he wasn't quite sure what to expect, I walked him to his classroom. It was so cute seeing all the little 1st graders sitting quietly at their desks. Yes, Jonathan has his own desk this year and he has a locker that he shares with Anne. Jay picked Jonathan up from school and told him "I love first grade!". It looks like we are off to a good start to the new school year. He loves his teacher, lunch and the art class. Jonathan was sick on Wednesday and Thursday with a high fever so he had to stay home two of his four school days the first week. That was a bummer for him and us.

A Good Laugh

2008-08-22T14:07:00.004-06:00

I came home from work yesterday, pulled into the driveway and this is what I saw! Cracked me right up. A good ol' belly laugh. The boys apparently went and saw Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3D with grandma and grandpa Matthews. Gotta love 3D glasses!

A Day at the "Beach"

2008-07-28T18:51:00.004-06:00

Saturday I took the boys and met Jermaine, Jaden, Jenna, Jennifer, Scott, Anna and Zachary (whew) at a wading pool in Minneapolis. It was a gorgeous day at a gorgeous park and for an hour or so we had the pool all to ourselves. The boys had a ton of fun splashing, running and playing with their trucks. Here are some fun photos of our morning. Unfortunately, I didn't get any photos of Anna or Zachary enjoying the water. I guess I had put the camera away before they arrived at the festivities. Grandma Jackie showed up for a while too. As did Jermaine's mom and grandparents. It was a great way to spend the day.

Little Cow Pokes

2008-07-27T19:51:00.001-06:00

The Texas cousins have arrived in Minnesota. Welcome Jaden and Jenna (and Jeff and Jermaine). It's grand to have you here! After one of the our get-togethers, Jaden loaned out his cowboy hats and guns. Jonathan and Eric thought being cowboys was yeehaw exciting! They used the tractor to round up their cattle one whole afternoon.

Rocket Men

2008-07-27T19:22:00.005-06:00

Jay and the boys have been building rockets this summer and then launching them. The boys (all three of them) really enjoy the whole process. And I think it is kind of fun too. Unfortunately, the rockets they have made do not have a very long life span. We have had many, many engine failures. A rocket that practically flew sideways. And a rocket that got stuck in a tree and then rescued. She was relaunched but then subsequently lost in another tree. I believe Big Bertha is still in said very tall tree. She won't come down. If you ask Jonathan and Eric about the last rocket launch both boys will say, "We told daddy to use the B engine not the C engine. It's his fault it got stuck in the tree. The C engine was too big and the rocket went too high. It's daddy's fault. He didn't listen to me." Oops. It's time to build another rocket.

Como Butterflies

2008-07-13T14:38:00.002-06:00

Como Zoo opened a butterfly exhibit this summer. The boys and I checked it out a few weekends ago. It was a ton of fun. We all enjoyed it a lot and need to go back again. Here are some pics from our visit. Enjoy.

Menomonee Zoo Oshkosh

2008-07-02T18:45:00.001-06:00

Menomonee Park also has a small zoo. We saw elk, wolves, a lion, prairie dogs, llamas, and monkeys. The "highlight" of the zoo adventure was being dive bombed by red wing blackbirds who were nesting in the bushes near the lion's cage. Poor birdies thought we were going to attack their babies so they attacked our heads first. It came as quite a shock to my head the first time it happened. Yipes! A new experience to be sure.

The Castle at Menomonee Park Oshkosh

2008-07-02T18:35:00.006-06:00

When visiting Grandma and Grandpa Wolf in Wisconsin, we spent Saturday at Menomonee Park in Oshkosh. The park has this cool castle play area. There are places to hide, place to climb, an airplane, diggers and sand, portraits, a king & queen's throne, etc. All materials and labor were donated by local businesses and residents. It was hard to get the kids to stand still to get a good photo. Needless to say that when it was time to leave the kids didn't want to and the adults were tired!

Another Eric-ism or Two

2008-06-18T19:45:00.003-06:00

Eric is a funny little boy. He comes up with some interesting new words. One such word is "fiveteen" instead of "fifteen". That is understandable I guess. Logic would indicate that after thirteen and fourteen and before sixteen and seventeen, one would count fiveteen. So cute. Jonathan has taken to correcting Eric quite often about this error, so I don't think Eric is using it much any more.

His newest Ericism is "blowcano" instead of volcano. Grandma Jackie has a science kit that includes a volcano experiment. Eric loves the "blowcano". That word cracks me right up. :p

Jonathan's 2nd Missing Tooth

2008-06-18T19:42:00.002-06:00

About three weeks ago Jonathan lost his 2nd tooth. This tooth was never found either just like the first tooth that fell out. No blood. No drama. Just, "Mom, I think I lost my tooth." No drama is a good thing. Just once I think I'd like to see the tooth that falls out. Jonathan doesn't believe he is swallowing them. Hmmm, it seems like the only explanation. Luckily, the tooth fairy doesn't need the tooth for any reason. She is still leaving a dollar under his pillow.

Eric Loves the Diggers

2008-06-18T19:25:00.002-06:00

If there is a digger at a park, don't plan on leaving anytime soon. Nor should you plan on leaving the park without tears and tantrums. Eric LOVES the diggers! If we had one in our backyard, I doubt we would see the youngster at all during daylight hours. Did I mention he LOVES these things? If there is a digger around, there will be no sharing. Do not attempt to get your own turn. It will only cause much strife and heartache for all involved. Eric LOVES the diggers more than juice I think. Now that is saying a lot.

Vroom, Vroom

2008-06-18T19:20:00.003-06:00

The boys and I went and visited Grandma Linda and Grandpa Chuck in Neenah, Wisconsin a few weeks back. One of the special treats was grandpa's remote control monster truck that both boys were able to drive in the road. The boys and grandpa Chuck had a ball! Aren't they all just the cutest?

Cousins & Butterflies

2008-06-18T19:13:00.004-06:00

I'm a little behind with this blogging thing. Oops. These photos are from Memorial Day at Grandpa and Grandma Matthews' house. We had a nice barbecue and some kid games. The cousins enjoyed the butterflies that finally emerged from their chrysalids in the butterfly hut. As you can tell, the kids were rather silly and had a grand time. So did us adults.

Storm Clean-Up - Sunday

2008-05-26T19:54:00.003-06:00

Jay and I were dreading the tree clean-up that was going to be necessary in our yard. But we received a pleasant surprise. The City of Coon Rapids came to our neighborhood with big dump trucks and a crew to clean-up people's yards. They cut down trees and moved everything to the curb. The trucks came along and with a large claw picked up everything all hauled it away. Eric was enthralled by the process and watched for a very long time. Jonathan and I were busy raking up the small stuff in the yard and throwing it in the dump trucks. Clean-up took place all day long, and we eventually got used to the constant buzzing of the chain saws. It was amazing how quickly the neighborhood was cleaned up. And if the drive-by gawkers would have stopped and helped things would have happened even more quickly.

Our Home's Storm Damage

2008-05-26T19:43:00.007-06:00

We lost one medium sized tree in the front yard. The tree fell in the only spot it could have fallen in order to avoid the house and our new garden and its plants. Our grill was found all over the neighborhood in mangled pieces. The kids plastic swimming pool is m.i.a. Our neighbor had his neighbor's patio table fly into his home and make a huge whole in the side of his house. His brand new gas grill was mangled and twisted. Jonathan made me a pot for Mother's Day and planted petunias from seed. The pot was found in one piece on the other side of our driveway but the petunia's were totally gone from the pot. We have filed an insurance claim but the adjustor hasn't been out to our house. Dare I hope for new windows (possible)? A new roof (doubtful)? New siding (doubtful)? New soffits and fascia (necessary)? Please pray with us that the claim is filed quickly and that there is a positive outcome for our situation. I am very thankful I still have a house that is standing and that we are all safe.

An Eventful Sunday Afternoon

2008-05-26T19:17:00.008-06:00

Yesterday as the kids and I pulled into our driveway, the very dark black storm clouds released its deluge of rain. And while we were piling out of the car in the garage the tornado siren went off. I rushed the kids into the house and down into the basement. In a mode of panic I ran back upstairs to close the windows in the kitchen and dining room. While attempting to perform that feat, the screens blew off the crank out windows and onto the floor. The ceiling light in the kitchen was swaying in the wind and leaves, sticks and all kinds of guck was blowing into the house. After seeing the kids pool go sailing through the air along with some other toys and the screens I realized being upstairs wasn't the best idea I've ever had. I ran downstairs to be with the kids. The lights were working so I tried the t.v. to see what was going on. There was a tornado spotted about two miles away at the time but I believe it made it's way over our house while I was upstairs like a goon. We lost two trees and have fascia and soffit damage along the back of the house. Several windows and screens are mangled so that they no longer work. Our neighborhood lost many, many beautiful trees, large and small. The neighborhood looks so different already. It's sad. One neighbor lost five trees just in his yard and one unfortunately landed on his home. We are all safe and very fortunate because I believe the tornado didn't touch down here. It seems it just passed over just above the ground in some manner or something. We have a pocket of damage like three blocks north of us, three blocks east and one block south that received damage. Very strange. No other damage after that small area. Anyway, another community only 9 miles away didn't fair so well. 50 homes were flattened and about 250-300 homes damaged in Hugo, Minnesota. Photos from the area are very shocking. If you wish to view photos from Hugo there is a Photo Gallery on startribune.com and fox9news.com.
The photos at the beginning of this page are from my neighborhood in Coon Rapids.

First Tooth Lost

2008-05-12T08:04:00.003-06:00

Jonathan lost his first tooth at the gym yesterday. He got in the car, smiled and I noticed. He had no idea that it was gone. So much for the anticipated trauma and blood. Haha. Since we didn't have the tooth I told Jonathan he could write a note to the tooth fairy and put that under his pillow. The boy is wise however and said that the tooth fairy isn't real. He said there is no magic. And if there is no magic how could a tooth fairy get here from a magical land? That is a good question. Anyway, despite his disbelief, this morning when he got up he was pretty excited about the dollar under his pillow. Tooth fairy inflation.

Poor Birdie

2008-05-01T18:06:00.004-06:00

We found a dead finch in our yard this evening. The boys were very curious about it so we discussed reasons why it may have died i.e. old age, illness, or an accident (think flying into a window). They were very concerned but not frightened nor upset by the experience. Eric wanted to touch and feel the bird. Jonathan was concerned about its disposal. Jay decided we would bury it by the pond. Jonathan carried the bird down to the pond on a dust pan and Jay dug the hole. Very gently Jonathan placed the bird in the hole and then Jay covered the bird with dirt. While walking away from the burial site Eric asked me if the bird was sad. I told him the bird was not sad any more. In a voice of wisdom Eric replied that the bird wasn't happy either. How does a three-year old understand death? It was pretty funny.

P.S. Later on, Jay and Jonathan put a marker on the grave that said R.I.P. Jonathan added his own name to the stick. Although I haven't seen the marker, I believe it now says R.I.P. Jonathan. Hmmmm, that doesn't sound quite right. Jay explained to me that because Jonathan found the bird and took care of burying it and because he was sad, he wanted his name on the stick. A child's logic explained. I feel better.

A Beautiful Spring Day

2008-04-20T18:43:00.008-06:00

I heard a rumor that today, Sunday, was going to be sunny and almost 70 degrees so yesterday I decided that my boys and I would get out of the house and enjoy the outdoors at the Como Zoo. When we arrived the temperatures were still a little chilly (upper 40's and cloudy) and the crowds were sparse. Most of the animals were still being housed indoors but we still had a fun time checking them out indoors. We had snacks and bought souvenirs. We all had a ball. The sun eventually came out and the temperature was a very warm upper 60's. On our way home, Jonathan suggested that we have our lunch outside and have a picnic. He even donated his blanket for the occasion. We had so much fun we forgot about naps. We'll definitely sleep very soundly tonight. (In case you are wondering, the picture with all the leaves and tiny red things...those are very active leaf cutter ants. Jonathan took that photo.)

2008-04-20T18:43:00.001-06:00

Brothers

2008-04-20T18:34:00.006-06:00

Jeff came to visit Minnesota a few days after Jay had been in Texas visiting him and his family. (See recent cowboy hat purchase.) Due to unexpected circumstances, the guys were unable to spend time in Austin and visit the Broken Spoke bar to see Mr. Dale Watson perform. Unexplainably, Mr. Watson was scheduled to play Lee's Liquor Lounge in Minneapolis on Wednesday night while Jeff was here. As such, we three ventured out to the Lounge and saw Mr. Watson. It would have been a great night if any one of us knew how to two-step or swing. Despite our lack of dancing aptitude, we enjoyed some grand ol' timey country music and some interesting people watching. I think there was even some brotherly bonding.

Bicycle Fun

2008-03-30T14:23:00.006-06:00

We finally had a nice warm spring day around here. The boys were very anxious to get out their bikes and ride around in the garage and driveway. They had a ball making up games and bumping into the garage walls. One of their games involved them riding around in circles and then purposefully falling off their bikes. I put an end to that real quick. Didn't want them injuring themselves or the new bicycles.

Happy 6th Birthday Jonathan!

2008-03-30T14:00:00.021-06:00

Jonathan turned six on March 19th! We celebrated his birthday with some of the family on Monday, March 17th. Auntie Jen and Cousins Anna and Zachary, Grandpa and Grandma Matthews, Mom, Dad and Eric were all in attendance. Jonathan got some amazing birthday gifts: a new black and green bicycle, some rockets and all the equipment needed to launch them, a disney video camera and a cool new book just for boys. We had a delicious dinner that ended with the scrumptious Dinosaur Cake. The party was low-key but fun.

It's hard to believe my "baby" is now six years old!

A Study of Eric by Jonathan H. Matthews

2008-03-06T21:39:00.011-06:00

Jonathan tried out my new camera this evening. For some reason he decided Eric was his muse.

Volcano Fun

2008-03-06T21:28:00.006-06:00

At Grandma and Grandpa Matthews' house today Jonathan and Grandma got out her science lab and made volcanoes. Apparently Eric and Jonathan enjoyed the activity so much they recreated the volcano about twenty times. Plus, Jonathan asked to bring the items home. We made several volcanoes at home, and only stopped when we ran out of vinegar. I took a video of Jonathan making his volcano too and will try to upload it here. Maybe not tonight however since it will be very frustrating I'm sure. Jonathan watched the video and told me he didn't like the sound of his voice. And he decided the science goggles looked dumb. I told him he was cute.

The Cookie Monster

2008-03-05T19:16:00.002-06:00

On Saturday, Jonathan and I made chocolate chip cookies together. He mixed the dry ingredients and helped me add them to the sugar and egg mixture. He helped mix in the chocolate chips also. We both enjoyed some of the dough and then waited impatiently for the cookies to bake. Mmmmmm, mmmmm. Cookies are delicious.

Happy Birthday Lana, Jay and Jennifer

2008-02-27T20:45:00.011-06:00

John and Jackie held a birthday bash for the three of us (Lana, Jay and Jennifer) on Tuesday evening. We had a picnic on the living room floor and an awesome snake cake which the gentleman helped decorate and lots of cool party favors. Check us out...

Grand Marais in Photos

2008-02-22T21:10:00.020-06:00

Kids Are Better

2008-02-22T21:07:00.001-06:00

Ah, glorious sleep. Ah, the gift of health. So precious both things.

Thank God the kids are healthy again.

And It Continues...

2008-02-13T18:06:00.002-06:00

Still sick. Still no sleep. Eric is now feverish and has been lying in his bed most of the day. Strange for a three year old. I was able to sneak in a 2 hour nap this afternoon which was very much needed. Jonathan didn't sleep at all. Please pray with us for a good night's sleep for us all. Jonathan is really desperate for some solid sleeping hours. As we all are. Thanks...

Help Us!

2008-02-11T20:24:00.000-06:00

Jay took both boys to the doctor today so that we could hopefully begin to see the end to their illnesses. Eric had pink eye over a week ago and gave it to Jonathan this week. Jonathan's pink eye is the worst I've ever seen and it has been very nasty. But the pink eye is only the tip of the gigantic iceberg. Jonathan brought home croup this week from school, I assume. (A classmate of his and the daughter of my friend Kerri was out sick today with the same symptoms as Jonathan.) Jonathan shared the croup with Eric. Jonathan also has an ear infection which explains the terrible fever he has had the last four evenings. Our house is beginning to look like a Walgreen's pharmacy. But nothing is giving us the lasting relieve we need to catch some zzzzz's.

There has been no sleep in this house practically since last Wednesday. Please pray with us that the boys will sleep through the night and no longer cough all night long. I'm so tired. I need some uninterrupted sleep. We all do. Well, except for Anabel. I think she has been sleeping like a log.

This morning at five a.m. I broke out the Vick's VapoRub. While I didn't get to enjoy the benefits of that fine balm because I had to get ready for work, Jonathan apparently fell back to sleep and slept until around 9:00. The little guy needed to sleep. I think he has been up pretty much every hour since Wednesday too. One night he was too wired to sleep and the next he was coughing too hard. Tonight we prayed for a deep and uneventful sleep for him.

Well, it's quiet right now so I should sign off and take advantage of the quiet by falling asleep. God willing I won't wake up until 7 a.m. Nighty nite.

Boredom Reigns

2008-02-10T17:59:00.001-06:00

We are on day three of being stuck in the house due to illness. This morning Jonathan and Eric thought it was fun to sit in the "kitchen window". Don't ask me why Jonathan has a crown and a light saber. And is Eric really allowed on the table? We've got cabin fever!

Dog Jammies

2008-02-10T17:52:00.001-06:00

Eric: What are you wearing?

Lana: Dog jammies. Arf arf.

Eric: Arf arf. I hate dogs.

Time to Update the Blog

2008-02-09T12:16:00.000-06:00

Hmmm, it's been over a month since I've blogged on here. Oops. We haven't been doing anything except basically hibernating, grocery shopping, working and going to the gym. None of those items are very exciting picture taking opportunities. Maybe I'll get the camera out later today after naps and see if we can get some silly shots of us playing. Jonathan enjoys taking photos. Maybe we can get some great shots of his tiger or something.

Today it has been snowing some and is very windy which makes for another good reason to stay in the house. Jonathan has a terrible cold and two eyes infected with pink eye. It has been awful! Runny, gross, mucus-y discharge. Poor kid. His eyes look sore and puffy. They are very difficult to look at. Last night was a rough one. I maybe got to sleep for an hour and then would here Jonathan coughing or moaning for assistance. He keeps saying his eyes hurt. This morning they appear much better but are far from being normal. In addition to the pink eye, he had been running a very high fever which seems to have broken overnight. Maybe he is on the mend!

I am planning on going to Grand Marais next Friday through Monday with my friend Jill. Her parents own that tiny little cabin right on the shore of Lake Superior. It's going to be cold up there I'm sure, but I am looking forward to being on my own for a few days. Just think, I can sleep in until I like and get up when I like. I'm sure we'll do some shopping as well. There is a quaint little bookstore there and some fun gift type stores.

The photo above is a view from the cabin in Grand Marais. I took it the last time I was there. It was so cold outside that the lake was steamy. Beautiful. Calming. Ahhhh...I can't wait.

Happy New Year

2008-01-03T18:19:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!

For New Year's Eve, the boys had a party at Grandma Jackie's and Grandpa John's house. The party included staying up late, party favors, snacks, and fireworks. Both boys had a ball. Eric came home the next day exclaiming, "I had the best day ever." According to Jackie, Eric wasn't real sure about the fireworks until he saw how beautiful the colors were. Jonathan was allowed the privilege of being outside with grandpa while he was lighting them. I guess that is a perk for almost six year olds. Anna and Zachary were also there for the festivities. Unfortunately, Jaden and Jenna couldn't attend since Texas is quite a long commute.

Jay and I spent the evening at a restaurant/bar called the Pickle Park in Fridley. We went there to see my favorite local band G.B.Leighton. G.B. Leighton put on an acoustic show first. The best part of the acoustic set was when Brian, the lead singer, drew my name from the bag and then performed my favorite song for me on the sofa near the stage. So fun! The evening was fantastic and worth every penny.

Hope you have a new year filled with many blessings. Happy 2008!

Christmas Morning 2007

2008-01-03T17:53:00.000-06:00

Belated Merry Christmas greetings to you all! Christmas was a whirlwind at our house. First Jonathan was upset that it wasn't coming quickly enough for his liking. He was so tired of waiting that he told Jay and I several times that he didn't want his presents. That changed funnily enough on Christmas morning. Just the other day he asked me why Christmas went so fast. Time is a funny thing isn't it? Both boys had a blast and are still enjoying all their new gifts. Unfortunately, we weren't able to spend any time with my family this Christmas but we really enjoyed our time with Jay's parents and Jay's sister and her family.

Hope you all had a fantastic Christmas! God bless.

Merry Christmas

2007-12-15T12:14:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas one and all. Can you believe Christmas will be here in about a week? I haven't gotten around to doing my Christmas cards. Geez, where is the time going? I think maybe if I work on them this weekend I can get them mailed next week. Maybe I'm not the only one who's feeling a time crunch, however, since we have received only 3 cards in the mail so far. One was from Jay's bosses at work and one was from his parents. Maybe no one is sending cards this year. Or maybe we should stop moving. :) Anyway, thougth I'd share these silly photos in front of our tree just in case I don't get cards mailed.

Out of the Mouth's of Babes

2007-11-30T12:32:00.001-06:00

Eric, "Oh Snap!"

Cracked me right up...

Jonathan's a Girl Magnet

2007-11-29T17:16:00.000-06:00

Jay dropped Jonathan off at school on Monday and as Jonathan was getting out of the car he heard two girls who were older than Jonathan say to him, "We know who you are Jonathan." Jay indicated that they said it in a "we heard about you from others and you are cute" sort of way. Jonathan's reply was something to the affect of "Stop saying that", but he said it with a big smile.

The Difference a Year or So Makes

2007-11-28T19:24:00.001-06:00

I found these photos on an old memory card. They are from our move from St. Paul Como to our current house in Coon Rapids. Wow, do they look little! That was only about a year-and-a-half ago.

Thanksgiving Cousins

2007-11-28T18:21:00.000-06:00

My camera is still broken and it appears it will remain that way. I can buy a brand new one with double the megapixels for probably less than it will take to fix my old one. The one I really want is a bit more but very cool. So in the meantime, I purchased a card reader so that I could download the photos that are stuck on my memory cards. All the new cameras use a much smaller memory cards so now my memory cards are no good. And they use different batteries or only two batteries instead of four. Oh, technology! How thee try to thwart me at every turn!!!!!!

Aren't the boys cute? Zachary is on the top left and David is on the right. Zachary is 16 and David 18. Then my little guys. They loved playing with their big boy cousins. It's sad that we live so far apart.

Fall Haiku

2007-11-25T14:25:00.000-06:00

large shadow person
standing in fall's golden sun
shares autumnal warmth

More Techno Troubles

2007-11-25T14:05:00.000-06:00

So, I'm pretty much depressed that I haven't posted any recent updates on this blog since the beginning of November and here it is the end of November. Ahhhh, time it marches on. And now that I have some photos and such that I'd like to post my camera is having issues with the memory card. It will not load correctly. And since that is the only way I can download photos (directly from my camera) things are going to have to wait again on this blog! Ugh! Why do we need all these technologic goodies? They are great when they are working but man do I hate it when they break. So much money down the tubes...Anywhoooooooo...

Thanksgiving was nice. My sister's family and my mom and step-dad came to our house for the holiday. Jay cooked some fantastic food. Unfortunately, the visits were cut short as my sister was starting a new job Saturday a.m. and my mother wasn't feeling very well. That was a bummer. Jonathan and Eric loved playing with their big cousins, David and Zachary. I think they wore the big boys out. It was nice to have my boys occupied by other people. Uncle Kevin seemed to really enjoy Jonathan's company as well.

On Friday instead of the usual trip downtown Minneapolis to see the Christmas display at Macy's, we went and visited The Third Lair which is a skateboarding place. David and Zachary wanted to see it because they had heard about it. It was pretty busy but pretty cool. My boys were amazed I think although neither expressed any interest in trying the sport. I was kind of relieved.

Other than that we did a lot of chatting, sitting around and played some Farkel dice game. It was a good Thanksgiving!

Bunker Hills Nature Hike

2007-11-02T13:54:00.001-06:00

Jay, Jonathan, Eric and I went for a walk through the meadow at Bunker Hills Park on Monday. The weather was beautiful and the sun was shining brightly. I took this photo of my favorite guys in the middle of the meadow. Aren't they sweet?

The boys saw lots of deer tracks and maybe a couple of racoon tracks (or maybe they were giant cougar tracks). They picked up sticks, through rocks, climbed dead logs, and ran around the meadow. The only wild life on display was them except for an occasional grasshopper and butterfly.

Halloween Cuties

2007-11-02T13:42:00.001-06:00

Jonathan enjoyed being Tigger this year for Halloween. Eric was Thomas the Train again. He barely wore the costume last year so I thought he could give it another go around this year. It seems he could even wear it next year because of the size of the thing. Maybe he will since neither of my children are that into the whole trick-or-treating business. We went to maybe 10 houses. I think the walking is a bit much for right now. Okay by me. We were home early enough to watch Scooby Doo and then off to bed! Even thought they visited so few houses, they still had a grand time and got plenty of candy. We are currently practicing candy rationing. Happy Belated Halloween to you all!

Jonathan and Kindergarten

2007-11-01T14:48:00.000-06:00

Jonathan really likes school but insists that he doesn't. Just yesterday driving home from picking him up, he said the following: "I don't like school at all. There is too much information and stuff in my head...it makes my brain hurt." Made me laugh. He didn't appreciate the laughing however as he thinks I'm laughing at him. Poor kid. He needs to stop being so cute.

Jonathan also shared that his teacher wants the kids to bring in all their Snickers bars from trick or treating for her. I guess that's her favorite. Jonathan doesn't want to do this. He wants to try the Snickers bar first. If he likes it, his teacher isn't getting any.

And lastly, he also informed me again that he'll never be moving out of the house and never be getting a job. If his dad and I move, he'll move with us. And he wants to keep all his toys. And he wants a dog. He'll keep it in his room. With his toys.

Eric's 3rd Birthday - Party 2

2007-10-28T13:38:00.001-06:00

Auntie Jen, Uncle Scott, Grandma Jackie and Cousins Zach and Anna were invited over Tuesday evening to help celebrate Eric's 3rd Birthday. (You'll have to take my word for it. For some reason, I do not have any photos of our guests.) We had tons of fun and lots of smiles. We had pizza, soda, chips and a great Thomas cake for our dinner! We sang Happy Birthday to Eric and he opened his gifts. Eric says he is three but adds, "I'm almost five, gonna be four." Cute.

Eric's 3rd Birthday - Party 1

2007-10-28T13:13:00.000-06:00

A New Dinosaur Resident

2007-10-28T12:52:00.001-06:00

Eric wanted a dinosaur like Jonathan's for his birthday. Grandma Linda and Grandpa Chuck bought him this AWESOME Stegosaurus instead. Now our home is filled with giant dinos! Say hello to Steggars and Rex.

Eric's New Tricycle

2007-10-28T12:50:00.001-06:00

Jay and I purchased a Eric a tricycle for his 3rd birthday! It took a bit of getting used to but now every minute he has he wants to be riding it in our driveway. I love his excited little face in this picture.

Computer's Back

2007-10-24T10:55:00.001-06:00

Hold on to your hats, my computer's home. Time to post some pictures. Time to print some pictures. I may have time this weekend...

My Little Guy is Three

2007-10-22T07:20:00.000-06:00

Eric turned three yesterday. What a sweetie pie! He had a fantastic birthday party and thought each and every gift was the best thing yet. He even marveled over his birthday cards. What a pumpkin.

Grandma Linda and Grandpa Chuck came for his birthday which made the day even more special. Yippee! We celebrated with a nice spaghetti dinner and a homemade birthday cake. Apparently, the frosting was the real treat as Eric continually stuck his finger in it over and over again. Singing Happy Birthday and the ABC song were both hits of the evening. "Sing it again...clap, clap, clap."

As soon as my computer is fixed, I'll post some great photos and maybe even a video clip or two from the evening although that is pretty much still a mystery action for me. Until then, you'll just have to imagine Eric's beatiful large smiles and giggles of laughter.

And the birthday fun isn't over yet. On Tuesday evening we are having another party for Eric. This time Auntie Jen, Grandma Jackie and Cousins Anna and Zachary will be in attendance. Yeah more cake!

Computer Update

2007-10-22T07:05:00.000-06:00

This is most interesting. My keyboard will be replaced this week. And as a bonus fix, we will have the CD ROM replaced as well. Yeah, movies in my bed again...

Hopefully, we'll have the expensive little machine back next week. Watch for some great posts then!

Good Grief

2007-10-16T09:38:00.000-06:00

So, there won't be any new postings of photos for a while. I spilled water on my laptop keyboard on Sunday. The computer no longer works. I'm pretty bummed out. Sad thing is I didn't learn my lesson the last time the computer broke. I never printed all those photos. I'm sure they'll be fine this time around too. Right? Good grief!

Pumpkins...Oh My

2007-10-09T14:19:00.001-06:00

We attempted to carve pumpkins on Sunday evening. One look at the slimy goo inside the pumpkin and both boys decided that cleaning out the pumpkin was a job for MOM. Don't let the pictures of Jonathan in front of the lidless pumpkin fool you. He did not help clean out the pumpkin even though he put his garden gloves on for the job. He did supervise me in my work however.

Jonathan and Eric each had a small pumpkin they picked out and painted and decorated with stickers. I wanted them to decorate with large sticker shapes. Spray the whole pumpkin black with spray paint. Let dry and then take off the stickers. I saw it in a magazine somewhere and it was super cute. Unfortunately, the boys didn't really like that idea since they had their own ideas. Oh well. It was their pumpkins and they could decide how to decorate them. Jonathan's pumpkin is purple in some places and filled with stickers in others. Eric's is purple and red. Very nice job. Kudos to my Kids! My pumpkin has a scary carved face and glows very nicely outside in the dark.

We still have a couple more pumpkins to decorate. Our trip to the farm Sunday a.m. yielded us six pumpkins. Oops.

By the way, Eric was present for the pumpkin carving and decorating but decided not to participate in photos.

Fridley Fire Department Open House

2007-10-09T13:50:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, I took the boys to the Fridely Fire Department. They were holding an open house from 11 -3 p.m. We went and saw numerous red fire trucks. Both boys were able to sit inside the cabs. We also got to take a ride on a refurbished white fire truck that is used in parades around the city. That was a fun ride! The sirens blared while we rode around a few blocks in the back of the truck. There was a police car and rescue boat to check out. A firehose to shoot water at a fake burning house. A demonstration of some fireman tools. And a ladder truck offering rides in the ladder bucket. Jonathan wasn't interested in that at all. Oh and there was more. A bulldozer which Jonathan climbed up on and got to sit in. Also, a bouncy fire house that the boys really enjoyed. We had a blast. It was a great day! We also took home some souvenirs...silver fireman sticker badges and kid size work aprons from Home Depot along with tool boxes to make.

Camera Play

2007-10-05T12:08:00.001-06:00

Jonathan asked to borrow my camera the other day to take some pictures. He took photos of Spongebob Cartoons on the television, tons of photos of his police car and the sofa. In the mix were these self-potraits. The kids got talent! :)

Springbrook Nature Center

2007-10-05T12:02:00.001-06:00

Last Saturday the kids and I went to the Springbrook Nature Center for a walk in the woods. The day was beautiful -- warm and not humid. The smell of fall was in the air. We met my friend Shelah and her son Wyatt there. We were going to just walk around the beaver pond but ended up walking the whole 2 mile route by accident. Yup, should have turned right back there. The kids were troopers. Us moms were worn out. Kids are pretty loud in the woods.

Another Zoo-licious Day

2007-10-03T13:53:00.000-06:00

Another trip to the Como Zoo...this time with Grandpa Ron and Grandma Lori. We enjoyed the new outdoor water features and the new Amazon Jungle display. Pretty cool! This excursion took place a couple of weekends ago already. Can't believe how quickly time flies. The boys acted like monkeys all mornings. Very hard to get any decent photos of them. They were pretty bouncy.

Eeek! It's a Spider!

2007-09-20T19:40:00.000-06:00

It's been the summer of spiders inside and outside our home. Little black weird ones in the house and this HUGE monster spider who happens to be living outside on our laundry room window. (Thank God.) He's been living there for weeks. It was hard to photograph the monster because his web is on the window. But I think I got a pretty good photo of him finally after about 30 shots. Haha. The kids and I tried to figure out what kind of spider it is by looking at spiders on the web (no pun intended). The closest picture we found was of a "house spider." How vague is that name? At least it's not a brown recluse! That was my main concern. The spider's body is about the size of a dime, a dime with really long, hairy, multi-colored legs. The spider is very gross and intriguing at the same time.

Anyone know what kind of spider this is? I'm letting him live for now. Jonathan had to show out neighbor Steve the spider. Steve then showed his wife, Lynn, who let out quite the squeal. Funny. The neighbor offered to "do away" with him for us. I said I wasn't ready for that yet. Why? I don't really know. He's just kind of interesting and like I said he's OUTSIDE.

Eric's New Room

2007-09-20T19:33:00.000-06:00

For those of you who have been in our home, you may remember the gross decor poor little Eric had in his room. Blech! We were finally able to redecorate. It looks great! Somehow my photos turned out blurry and the photos do not do the room justice. You'll get the general idea, however. Eric LOVES his new room.

Train Park - Part 2

2007-09-13T15:07:00.000-06:00

Train Park

2007-09-12T17:39:00.001-06:00

There is a new park in Fridley that the boys and I like to go to with friends of ours. The one big bonus for the park is the railroad tracks that run past the park. Trains roll by regularly and are a big attraction for Jonathan and Eric. We like to count the cars and compare how fast they are going. Every once in a while, we get lucky and see two trains at the same time going opposite ways. That's always a hit. The train engineers wave and smile at the boys as they watch wide-eyed. Luckily, the train whistle is blown farther down the line.

Eric and Zachary

2007-09-07T20:33:00.001-06:00

On Labor Day, we were at John and Jackie's for dinner. The Blair family was there as well. Eric thought it would be fun to hold Zachary. Aren't they cute? I think Zachary was kind of intrigued by Eric. Eric enjoyed the experience although I think Zach got a bit heavy while I was hunting for the camera. After taking several photos of the two, Eric was ready to have his lap back to himself.

First Day of Kindergarten

2007-09-05T11:49:00.000-06:00

Jonathan's first day of kindergarten started this a.m. at 9:15. He seemed in very good spirits and was actually quite excited to be going. He was somewhat nervous when we arrived at the building, however. I walked him to his classroom and he made himself at home. It helps that his friend, Lindsey, is also in his classroom. I let the teacher know there are friends and she allowed them to sit together. Jonathan shook hands with the principal, Mrs. W-T and then when asked, advised his teacher that he wanted peanut butter and jelly for his lunch today. I hope he expands his eating habits because we are buying him hot lunch. Luckily, the kids have snack time in the afternoon and I was able to pack something he likes. Jonathan dressed himself today and despite advising him that he could wear shorts, he picked out his new jeans. It's going to be 90 degrees today so hopefully he'll take it easy on the playground.

A Budding Artist?

2007-09-03T18:21:00.001-06:00

Jonathan's Jellyfish

Labor Day Picnic

2007-09-03T13:47:00.001-06:00

Happy Labor Day all y'all! (That's for the family in Texas. Y'all know who you are!) Jay's working today so it's been just the boys and I. I took them to the gym this a.m. and then afterwards we decided to have a picnic in our front yard. It was a lot of fun despite the hungry mosquitos and ants. The boys thought it was great too!

This afternoon we are headed over to the in-laws/grandparent's house to have dinner. Wish Jay could be with us...

Another Day Comes and Goes

2007-08-30T20:55:00.000-06:00

Today we met our new friends, Ben and Jen, at a park in Fridley for a few hours of park play. I brought my camera to get some cute photos of the boys playing together in the beautiful summer sun. Once again the batteries in my camera were dead. (My rechargeables must be going bad because no one has used the camera! I'm getting exctremely frustrated about this.) Anywhoo, since I wasn't able to take new photos of the kids at the park today, here are some silly photos of the kids in their baseball caps. These pics were taken over a month or so ago. It appears the kids were enjoying some snacks and some precious play time while enjoying their lids. I think Eric must have had a blue pop pop (i.e. that's Eric-speak for popsicle).

Our park time was fun. The park is by two train tracks so there were at least six trains that passed while we were playing. Both boys LOVED watching the trains pass. Jonathan was very interested in the number of engines and what type of cars were being pulled i.e. hopper cars, box cars. Eric noticed that none of the trains had cabooses. "No caboose!" he kept stating in all seriousness.

Welcome to Our Family

2007-08-28T12:02:00.000-06:00

Jonathan saw the tiger at Walgreens the other day and just had to have it. His motto, "The Bigger the Better". Since he had allowance savings and I agreed to pay for part of the tiger, he was able to purchase it. Whiskers is enjoying his new home with us. Unfortunately, I think we need to build another bedroom to house him! Until then, Jonathan will have to cozy up with his new pal in his own room.

Camping Adventure

2007-08-15T10:52:00.000-06:00

Jay and I decided to take the boys camping Monday night at Bunker Hills Campground. The campground is located about one mile north of our house so it's easy to pack up and head out for an evening and be home in the morning. When I got home from work, we loaded up the car with our gear and with the boys and headed out for dinner and some snacks. After dinner we headed to the campground to check-in for the evening. Jay and Jonathan went in to see the ranger and pay for the site. Soon after going inside, they both came out to talk to me about the weather news. The ranger indicated that the weather service was indicating a possible severe and very dangerous storm that evening for our area. The storm could produce tornadoes without any advanced notice and had a history of producing baseball size hail. Knowing that the weather service isn't 100% accurate when predicting storms, we decided to take the chance and camp.

Moments later, paid receipt in hand, our happy car load proceeded to our campsite. We unpacked our gear (a lot more than you would think to have for just an overniter!). We set up our tents, our sleeping bags, and pillows. Jay made a lovely roaring fire. We roasted marshmallows. All was merry for about an hour and a half. But it wasn't meant to last. Soon we heard thunder in the distance. Good grief! The clouds were seriously black so Jay decided to sit in the car and listen to the weather band. "Rapidly approaching highly dangerous storm, with a history of producing baseball size hail and potential for tornadoes. Sky to ground lightning strikes. Frequent lightning". Uh oh. The incidences of thunder and lightning were increasing. What to do? What to do?

Well, we decided to tear down camp, throw everything into the car once again and head for home. It was exhausting! I was sweating up a storm (no pun intended)! Jonathan and Eric were getting nervous about the lightning and the thunder. As we got in the car and started driving for home, large raindrops began to fall. When we pulled into our driveway three minutes later, the tornado sirens began sounding. We immediately ran into the house down into the basement and checked the weather reports on the the t.v. "Rotation indicated south of Highway 10 in Ramsey. No confirmation of tornado but take coverage." Ugh! By now it's like 9:30 p.m. way past the kids bedtime but there was no way they could go to bed up on the 2nd floor of our home. I put in a movie for them and then went to check out the weather on another t.v. Soon the wind started whipping, rain started pouring from the sky in a super deluge. Then I heard ping ping ping on the porch roof. The hail was falling. Luckily the hailstones only got to be about quarter size.

Luckily, nothing serious happened to our house or neighborhood from the storm. No tornadoes. No hail damage. No trees down. The kids went to bed a little after 10 p.m. and slept like logs. There was a second storm that rolled through about a half hour later that just produced a lot of lightning and tons of rain. What an adventure! And a ton of work just to end up sleeping at home. It's a memory though.

Eric keeps asking to go camping now. Jonathan wants to go with just daddy so he can get a break from Eric. Me? I'm ready for a massage and days of uninterrupted sleep.

This and That

2007-08-05T12:43:00.000-06:00

So my computer is still out of commission which means my photos are out of commission as well as my ipod. I didn't realize how dependent on these new fangled mechanical devices I was. Blah! Jay should be taking my computer to a Mac shop tomorrow to be fixed. The only thing wrong is the power cord...a piece got stuck inside the plug and now I can't charge the computer. Of course, the battery is now dead. Ugh! I dislike such broken things.

On another note, the bridge collapse is still heavy on my mind. I was going to walk over to one of the bridges in Minneapolis at work on Friday to see what I could see in person. It's supposed to be more surreal that way and make a bigger impact. Part of me isn't sure if that is what I really want to experience but it does feel important. I didn't make it over there. I don't want to get in the way and don't want to be a gawker. But it does seem vital for healing my mind. Perhaps on Tuesday when I am back downtown for work.

It sure is a miracle that so far there are only 5 confirmed fatalities. Wow! It could have been so much worse. Although those who have lost loved ones, I'm sure, don't feel so fortunate. Anyway, there are only 8 others confirmed missing. But there must be some who haven't been accounted for? This still gives me such a heavy heart....

Life is precious and so fragile. Yet we are so resilent and continue on in the face of hardship and strife. When lives are in danger, some put their own in danger to rescue and help others. I like to think I would be one to help rather than run away. But do we really know how we would act during a tragedy? I don't know if you can ever prepare for such an event. Hopefully, I'll never have to find out in my life time and neither will you.

God bless you all today! May God's love shine down on you and your families! Much love to you!

Bridge Collapse in Minneapolis

2007-08-02T13:41:00.000-06:00

I usually don't watch the news especially at supper time but it appeared there was going to be a storm and I wanted to check out the weather forecast. Turned on the evening news a little before six to check out the weather. Left the room and came back a couple of minutes later and found out that the Hwy 35W bridge over the Mississippi River collapsed. Talk about feeling utter shock and disbelief! We used to drive that bridge daily and only recently stopped going that way since we moved to Coon Rapids. So freaky. Friends of ours said they drove four times back and forth on that bridge yesterday.

I didn't sleep well last night at all. I guess it affected me more than I thought. It's just terrible. I feel so small. There are so many things we take for granted every minute of every day. Fortunately, I don't know anyone who was injured. All my friends and family are safe. There were miracles in this tragedy too. A bus load of children fell 50 feet but landed on all its tires. No one was seriously hurt from the bus. But there are still many families suffering today because they don't know where their family members are. Please pray for those persons and their loved ones. The river recovery effort has been thwarted because of the river currents and the debris in the river. Please pray for the recovery workers and crews.

Tragedies happen around our world all the time. When it hits so close to home, it's so much more personal and real.

And An Ear Infection

2007-07-30T08:26:00.000-06:00

Followup on pink eye: Both boys eyes are better. Saturday morning however Eric said his ear hurt and was crying. Whenever he does that, he has an ear infection so we spent the morning at the Urgent Care getting him checked out. Sure enough, a lousy ear infection. $37.00 later and we have the antibiotic to make him better and can go home. At least we caught it early this time and didn't have to spend a whole evening awake with him. He's much better already. No sleepless nights, thank God.

Pink Eye Attack

2007-07-27T11:43:00.000-06:00

Both my boys have pink eye for the first time. Jay and I took them to Target's Minute Clinic and sure enough that's what they have. Must have caught it at the YMCA. That's the only place we have been really. Bummer! Luckily, they are only contagious 24 hours. Until then, I think we better stick around the house.

On a side note, my computer at home is broken so I am not able to download photos and stuff. We will be taking it to the Apple store on Monday. Hopefully, they can fix the plug that got partially stuck in the adaptor. It's a bummer. Can't charge the computer now and the battery is all used up. I know this doesn't make a difference with the memory etc. but I can't help but be in a panic about all the photos I have loaded on that machine and still haven't printed or made hard copies of. I've been meaning to do it for ages and even attempted to do it one evening. I'm paranoid they are all going to disappear. I guess the only way that would happen is if the Apple store wipes my memory out. They are probably professionals so that shouldn't happen, right?

Lake George

2007-07-25T14:03:00.000-06:00

Jay and I and the boys went to Lake George this morning to swim and play in the sand. It's a lovely, shallow lake perfect for the boys since they don't swim yet. The water is clear and relatively algae free. You can see tiny perch swimming your legs and see the sandy bottom. The beach itself is fantastic sand. Jay and Eric built a two-story sand castle with moat. Jonathan and I built a lake and a bucket shaped castle. Unfortunately, the "let's destroy" nature of the two boys took over and they crushed our creations soon after they were built. It was very fun. We were there about two hours and even though the weather was steamy, there was a nice cool breeze off the lake that kept us refreshed. I took my camera to the beach to get some shots of us enjoying our time, but once again my batteries were depleted. I really need to invest in another set of AA rechargeables.

Sticky Summer Day

2007-07-16T19:15:00.000-06:00

What's better than playing on a slip n slide on a hot summer day? Playing in it with your brother and your mommie. We had a ball until I decided to scooch on the slide on my knees. It hurts to slide right into a rock with your kneecap. Plus, it produces an amazing black bruise. Did you know that a slip n slide actually has a warning on it that says, "Not for adult use." Hmmm, noticed that after the incident. Ooops and Ouch!

Counsin Capers

2007-07-07T18:49:00.001-06:00

The 4th of July was very hot so Eric and Anna decided to take a swim in Grandma and Grandpa Matthews' back yard. The two thoroughly enjoyed the cool water and the water toys. I don't think they had much to say to one another; however, because they were pretty quiet and content. And all the parents said, "Yeah! Some peace and quiet. Whew."

Yummo! Birthday Cookies

2007-07-06T18:15:00.001-06:00

The frosting on the cookies is the BEST!

4th of July Birthday Madness

2007-07-06T17:51:00.000-06:00

We celebrated John's 65th birthday on the evening of the 4th of July. Jackie decided to serve giant frosting decorated sugar cookies instead of cake. Because there was no cake, so decided to cut a cantaloupe in half, cover it with tin foil and poke about a dozen sparklers in the cantaloupe for the candles. The lighting ceremony took place in the kitchen while the rest of us waited anxiously around the dining room table for the "cake" to arrive. All of us were expecting a great tragedy to befall the party festivities. Luckily, the "cake" arrived in one piece in the dining room and no one was burned, singed or otherwise maimed. After Happy Birthday was sung and the sparklers went out, John even smiled (or at least I think he did since there was a thick cloud of smoke filling the house at this point). And our cookies were delicious despite the tiny flecks of black metal on the frosting.

Mr. Contemplative

2007-07-06T17:48:00.000-06:00

The other day Jonathan said to me, "I like the picture of you and daddy having a wedding. You look very pretty." Ahh, so sweet! Just about melts a mother's heart. Then he added, "I like the white. I think you would blend into the floor." Not sure what the thought pattern was there. Cute though.

Suckers are the Best

2007-07-05T20:46:00.001-06:00

Anna's 2nd Birthday

2007-07-05T19:42:00.001-06:00

Jen and Scott had us over to their home to celebrate Anna's 2nd birthday which happens to be on the 4th of July. The party was filled with yummy food, fun, smiles and a singing Elmo balloon. Auntie Jen had gift bags for the kids which included reticulated snakes, stickers, and candy. We had a delicious chocolate cake and minty ice cream. Yummo! as Eric would say. The boys enjoyed playing with Anna and all her fun toys too. Time cruised along and soon it was time to leave and go home for naps.

Reading is Fun

2007-07-05T19:17:00.000-06:00

At Anna's 2nd birthday party yesterday, Eric decided to take a break from the festivities and curl up in Anna's room to read a book. Isn't he a sweetie pie?

No Job

2007-07-03T20:19:00.000-06:00

Yesterday driving in the car, Jonathan was talking about going to the dentist and how excited he was to be going because they give him toys. Jay pointed out that Jonathan could be a dentist when he got older. Jonathan emphatically declared, "I told you. I will not have a job when I grow up!" I asked him where he was going to live then? He said, "At home with you." Uh oh.

Popsicle Pals

2007-06-29T13:31:00.000-06:00

My silly boys decided eating their popsicles in their underwear/diaper was the only way to go! Since it was almost bathtime, I thought this was a fine idea too. Recently, there is some obsession about being naked and running around the house.