A little boy lives here

I found a dried booger stuck to the wall next to Xander's bed. The End.

New Moon

The midnight movie of "New Moon" on Thursday night was the perfect kick-off to my birthday yesterday. We got a great group this year, and we even made matching "Team Jacob" and "Team Edward" shirts with numbers on the back. You know, just to keep myself feeling "youthful". Tell me this picture wasn't embarassing though... the theater behind the photographer was FILLED with people just staring at us old ladies in matching shirts getting our picture taken. We had a great time, though, and the movie was great! So much better than the first one, if you ask me.

To finish my birthday off, I slept in while Brian made me my favorite breakfast/dessert: belgian waffles with peanut butter, ice cream, and hot cinnamon syrup. Then off to a 1 hour massage, lunch with the girls, a nap, flowers from my hubby (funny story about the flowers: I didn't see them sitting on our table until after our date, and mentioned on the date that I was still waiting for my flowers... little did I know that he had already got me some, and I just didn't notice them... ooops!), dinner at the Cheesecake Factory, and a Heroes marathon. It was a great birthday! Couldn't have been better. I don't know why people get so uptight about their birthdays and getting older. I say rejoice in my old age and try to keep myself feeling young (like going to a midnight movie with a bunch of teeny-boppers!). Hehehehe.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

Happy Halloween from the "Enchanted Garden"

(...and these two cuties.)

Things I've learned THIS morning...

Apparently, this guy is the one that is smarter than me (sometimes, hehehe)...

(He taught Xander where the size is on the Target diapers. I should have known that he taught him that. He is always teaching Xander things... like how to turn the lights on with a flip-flop.)

This kid has scary dreams...

(He woke up this morning telling me how he had a dream that "Lil had lots of eyes, and that mommy said "no" and then Lil's eyes would get bend, and it was SCARY!" No wonder he comes into our room crying at night.)

Things I've learned this morning...

This kid is smarter than me sometimes...

(I recently switched from Huggies to Target brand diapers, and I can never tell which size diaper is which because, unlike Huggies, there is no size number written on them anywhere. Well, when I asked Xander to get me his diaper out of the drawer, he pulled the tab (the one that keeps the diaper on) open and looked for the size number under the tab. I have no idea how he knew to look there. Sure enough, Target brand diapers have the size printed underneath their tabs.)

And this kid knows what she wants...

(After refusing to eat breakfast, she climbed on a stool to reach the snacks, opened the "Chocolate-covered Ritz Crackers" box, and managed to get a cracker out. Then walked around the house munching on a delicious treat. I've since started putting up a baby-gate to the kitchen so she isn't constantly in the snack bin.)

Left & Right

That's my boy! He's some wicked smaht.

Utah Summer Fun

This summer was the first summer since Brian and I have even known each other that we were able to have a summer vacation in Utah. It was soooooo much fun. Thanks to the McCauls, Grandma, and the Bostons for such a great summer vacation.

We went to the Oquirrh Mtn Temple open house

We went to Seven Peaks with Grandma, McCaul's, Katie, Katie, and Hezzie's summer camp (thanks Hezzie!!!)

We played at Aunt Hezzie's house, and Liv's house...

...and tried out Liv's new tub.

We went to Cheesecake Factory and a concert (Jack's Mannequin & The Fray),

and met Andrew McMann (fulfilling Brian's dream).

We had a 1st Birthday Party for Lil. Thanks to Brian, Andria, Grandma, and Katie for making it happen (and for putting up with me being sick with the Swine Flu). It was a great party.

And thanks to Amber and Bob for coming. It was good to see you.

We went to Bear World...

...and saw lots of bears...

...and pet some animals...

...and rode some rides.

We stayed in Island Park, ID at some gorgeous cabins (thanks Dad). And while we were there...

We went to Mack's Inn Playhouse...

...and went to a dinner show with some unusual characters.

We sat in the hot tub.

We floated down the river...

...and tried out a rope swing.

We had a fiesta, complete with a pinata.

We played some games at the cabin.

We went to Yellowstone Nat'l Park (my first time ever!).

We saw geysers, hot pots, waterfalls,...

...and lots of animals, close-up.

We had a wicked good time! Can't wait for the next Boston summer vacation.

Summer Fun

Camping and tubing in VT

Friendly Toast and walks in downtown Portsmouth

Lobstah and Meathouse in the Milton Hilton's driveway

playing in the sand

handstands on the beach

swimming at York Beach...

...with cousin Liv, Aunt Katie, Grammie, Xander, Buddy, Lil, Aunt Hezzie, and Amanda

coloring in the driveway at Buddy's Summer Camp

boating in Surf City with Uncle Denver, Grammie, and Bill

Surf City beach with Gramma Tina, Uncle Denver, Aunt Hezzie, and Grammie (And Daddy!!!)

Lauren's Baby Shower

So, I hosted Lauren's Baby Shower last night. Even though it ended up being a baby shower for a new mom instead of a pregnant lady (good thing too, or this lady would have been VERY pregnant and hurtin').

The theme was "Snakes and Snails and Puppy-dog Tails... That's what little boys are made of." So we had blue ice cubes in Sprite, Almond Joy bars (because they have nuts and Mounds don't), "dirty sticks"...

little boy onesies with doggies on them, dirty little boy hand-prints on the tablecloth...

dirt cups, hot diggity dogs, vegetable sticks and dip, and a snake made of cupcakes.

Thanks to Alyssa and Kristen for doing the games and helping me set-up, Marin for the prizes and helping me set-up, and Angela for the saying on the wall. I had a great time.

Congratulations Lauren and Brett!!!! We are so glad that Brickman is here!

Xander-ese

Xander is such a silly boy. He is always making up words. It's getting to the point where I hardly ever know what he is talking about. It's like he is speaking his own made-up language. Here is a little example. This conversation was much longer and even crazier, but I'll shorten it for ya.

Xander: (while jumping off the ottoman) Makin chanchos.

Mommy: What?

X: Makin chanchos.

M: (laughing) Chanchos?

X: It's not silly. (because I was laughing at him)

M: What are chanchos? What's it like?

X: It's kinda like a food that you eat.

M: You mean nachos?

X: Yeah. Nachos.

.....

X: Tacos and Nachos. What are nachos?

M: They are chips with cheese on them.

X: Chanchos are kinda like chips. Chips-teek.

M: Chips-teek?

X: Chips-peek. Yeah, chips-peek.

And just for an added visual: thru this whole crazy conversation, he is doing spinning jumps off the ottoman, and throwing a pillow in the air.

for the girls

Philly prayers

In YM/YW the other day, one of the young men was wrangled into saying the prayer. It went a little something like this:

"Yo, check this out. Dear God...."

Easter (totally late, I know)

For Easter this year, we started the festivities with a few visits from the Easter Bunny to the YMCA. Lil absolutely LOVED the Easter Bunny. She sat on "her" lap for hours, bouncing up and down.

Then we had an Easter egg hunt at the park with our friends on Saturday. It was cold and drizzly again this year, but we got a lot of loot anyway.

Then the Easter bunny brought lots of presents instead of Easter baskets, and also hid eggs all over the house. That tricky bunny even hid them on top of the pictures hanging on the wall (Xander thought this was soooo funny). Grandma also sent a bunch of presents that were set out as well. Xander asked for days after who got him which toy... the Easter bunny or Grandma?

Then we got all dolled up and went to church. Lil wore her new Easter dress and her red patent leather shoes, and Mommy wore the shirt that Aunt Jane so sneakily bought for her.

After church we went to our friends house and had a delicious Easter dinner with all of the families in our date night babysitting group. It was delicious!

Even though Lil looked so cute in her dress, she had a goopy eye all day. We thought it was a clogged tear duct, like she had when she was a baby. But then it got more and more puffy and red. By the next day she looked like this. Poor baby!

"Follow the Prophet"

Xander has learned a new song. Well, one line of it.

The Wave

Lil is practicing for "the Crown". I'm not sure if she wants to be Miss America or the Queen, but she's got the wave down perfect. She waves hello and goodbye to everyone. She waves at inanimate objects. She even reaches out behind her when I am rocking her to sleep and waves at whatever is back there. Sometimes it is a little creepy when it looks like she is waving at someone, and there is no one there. Here is a little sample, waving to Daddy:

**sorry for the lovely side view of mommy

real crawling

She crawled on her hands and knees on Thursday. About 6 "steps" (or should I say "knees"?). So I know she knows how. But she still prefers to sweep my floors with her belly.

today

We went to Adventure Aquarium today. Two of my Young Women came with us. I wish I had taken some pictures, but I forgot my camera. It was one of those mornings. The house was a mess. The kids wouldn't nap. Xander wouldn't stop asking me questions. I scuffed up my new shoes. I almost forgot my debit card in the ATM machine while getting cash out for parking. After getting the cash out, I realized I already had $20 in my pocket (plus I found out later that they take cards). I couldn't find my parking vouchers, which is why I needed cash in the first place. We were late getting to the girls. Then the GPS sent us all the way there on Broad St, so we were even later getting to the Aquarium, so we missed seeing the Backyardigan characters, and we were late getting home for my date. Because we were late getting home, we couldn't go see the movie we wanted to see. Do you see what I mean about one of those mornings? BUT... despite all of this, it was a great day. We had fun at the Aquarium. The kids napped most of the way there. I learned more about these two YW in four hours than I have in an entire year. They experienced something new. Lil was happy all day. The Aquarium was giving out FREE Jr Frosty coupons, so the ol' be-good-and-I'll-get-you-an-ice-cream bribe ended up being free. And Brian and I had a delicious meal at Outback Steakhouse, then rolled ourselves over to REI to ogle at all of the gear we can't afford (I really want those $35 shoe inserts! Lame, I know. But seriously!).

HAPPY EASTER!!!!!

So, Lil is in love with the Easter Bunny. He came to the childwatch at the YMCA tonight, and she sat on his lap the entire hour... bouncing up and down, waving her arms and laughing. Funny girl! He also gave Xander an Easter egg with candy in it. He was so excited because he has been asking me for a month when the Easter bunny is going to come and bring him some eggs with candy in them.

We colored eggs tonight for FHE. Xander thought I meant we were going to color on the deck with his egg shaped sidewalk chalk.