And It's Started....

The beginning stages of potty training that is.... Oh the joys of Potty Training.

I think the Energizer Bunny aka EB aka Turbo will probably have the least restrictive potty training experience on the planet. After all the joy of potty training Goober, I don't want to make the same mistake again. I WILL NOT make this a power struggle. Been down that road... don't want to visit again.

So basically potty training Turbo will be all his choice. No pushing from mom.

Today he asked me if he could use the potty... so I let him try. He sat for a couple then decided he was done and wanted to flush the potty. Great. Nooooo problem. Then I asked if he wanted me to put a diaper on him or undies (I bought him some undies the other day, just in case). For the first time he responded undies. So we put some one him.

I have no clue how long those undies will stay unsoiled, but HEY! He wants to wear them so YIPPY! it's a step. And if they become wet and he doesn't want to wear them anymore... fine. Great by me. I'm not going to push it. I truly believe that that was my #1 mistake while potty training Goober... that and the fact that I didn't know how to tell if he was "ready" because he is my oldest child.

Honestly, I don't remember much about potty training Missy. It went to smooth... I was just happy it was done. I think she was done in less than a week. Goober on the other hand I struggled with for years. If you think I'm kidding, I really wish I was. I potty trained Missy while I was still trying to potty train Goober. They are 2 years age difference. You do the math.

I am bound and determined with Turbo to make it all his choice... he has a couple of years till I have to make it more than that. And at that point I can talk logic (though not much).

Anyhow, wish Turbo luck and cross your fingers that he chooses to do this quickly (for me, ya know.)

The Storm has Past.

Isn't it amazing what two simple words together can do? "I'm Sorry" coming from both sides is such a powerful thing. They can truly erase a load of things. Granted, in some cases they cannot make life how it was before those things happened... but they go such a long way!

I really do wish that more of the world knew how to use those words. I really hope that my children learn how to use those words to their fullest meaning.

Tomorrow is a new year, and all is fresh and new. :) I'm not usually one to set "New Year's Resolutions" but this year is different. Tomorrow I start onto my diet again, I start exercising again, and I start potty training the youngest... if he will let me!!

Hope and optimism are such great things to have!

Santa's Helper

Every year Grandpa S ends up pretending to be Santa. Really, it's awesome! Can you imagine how freaked out EB would be if this person WEREN'T His Grandpa!?!?! As it is, he looks a bit... unsure.
Basically, Grandpa is Santa's helper. He helps because Santa is busy getting the toys and stuff together for the Big Night. So Grandpa listens to what the kids want and then makes sure Santa knows!
The kids know to pretend that Grandpa is Santa when he is pretending too. It's all part of the fun of Christmas!

Not Yet!

Soooo the new thing around here....

Mom or Dad: "EB you Poopy?"

EB: "Not yet."

Morning Rituals

So every weekday morning I get up and get Goober up and off to school. Then EB insists on sitting down and watching a "show" aka a movie, cause HEY! We don't get any TV channels so DVD's are about it around here. Then he cuddles up with a blanket in his favorite spot until Missy decides to show her face.

I just think he's too cute.

Dad's Doing His Job!

Riling up the kids before bed!
(if you can't tell he is using EB to bounce on Missy, making her laugh so hard she can barely breathe)

Ooooooh Sad Puppy!

This was EB tonight. We went
Trick-or-treating at Jer's work this evening and
he did NOT like his little hat with the puppy ears on it.
Actually, he didn't like the costume at all and
any time he was reminded he was wearing it he
would try to pull it off.
But he was so darned cute in it....
I had to get a picture, even if he was a bit distraught.
Awwwww, poor kid.

Why I'm greatful for DVD's

And no, I'm not changing to Blue-ray... as soon as I get all the movies I want it will just change again. Soooo I'm going to try to wait it out till the next change and save the money of having to replace a whole movie library twice. I'm so smart! :P

Anyhow, recently Jer borrowed some older VHS from my mother in law. Last night, guess what happened? Ya, EB figured out the actual "tape" comes out of the VHS. LOL Anyhow, I'm truly grateful that by far the majority of our movies are on DVD. They are so much more resilient! And less drawing for little fingers!

I have no clue how my parents did it when we were little and actually retained some VHS clear through till we were old enough to replace them ourselves. :)

I Think it May Be Time.

Or it may be close to time for The Energizer Bunny to be in a "big boy" bed. You see, for the last few days EB has wanted to take his nap in Goobers bed, and I have let him, I figure as long as nothing bad happens to the bed (which I would end up cleaning up anyways) Goober shouldn't care cause he is at school.

In order to get EB a "big boy" bed we have to steal Missy's bed. I know that sounds kinda weird, but her bed is one part of the bunk bed and Goobers is the other. So we would need to get Missy a new bed because somehow I don't think Missy would like to sleep in EB's crib with the side taken off of it.

I would go get the new bed now, 'cept mattresses are expensive! Grrrrr.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game....

Monday Gpa S took the whole family to see a baseball game! The older kids really seamed to enjoy it... or the food.... I can't tell which they liked better! lol


Goober has recently aquired a hallow leg. The kid can down just about anything. I thought that was supposed to happen when he became a teenager?!?! And if this isn't anything like the kind of food consumption I'm going to witness when he gets that old I'm a little worried about the size of his mouth being too small. The kid can pack it! he had a sandwich before we went (to tide him over) a corn dog all to himself when we got there, some nachos, drinksdrinksdrinks, and about 5 packs of fruit snacks from Gma S and the kid was STILL HUNGRY!!

And little EB of course spent the whole time we were there doing this:

And other fun on the steps next to us. The kids were pretty good so we managed to stay till the 7th inning before we decided to bail. It was fun!

The Energizer Bunny Turns Two!

Today the little man turned two! I can't believe it's already been two years since he was born. Crazy I tell you!

This morning the kids played in the water at Gma S's house. They had a load of fun and the birthday boy managed to get a bit sunburned int eh process. Poor kid, guess it has to happen sometimes though.

This evening we had a family birthday party for EB. He was scared of the candles though....

So Jer persuaded EB to blow them out "with" him.

He loved the cake and ice cream (of course, what kid doesn't???) and then got right into the presents. He got some great ones! Lots of toys tools which fit his personality perfectly, and a train and some tracks too. He was really excited!

What a cute kiddo, I'm so happy he is in our family!

Siblings

I think everyone can agree that most siblings fight. Actually most siblings fight a lot.

I remember when I was little I used to fight like cats and dogs with my oldest sister, thank goodness we finally learned how to get along with each other, but my poor mother had to clinch her teeth through at least, what? Probably about twelve years of fighting for it to actually happen. Of course that is a guesstimate, 'cause my oldest sister is six years older than me I don't don't even remember when we started fighting.

I just know I have memories of throwing grape juice on her nice clean white shirt (we both got grounded that time), and taking off on an uberlong bike ride to a friends house when she wouldn't drive me, mostly just to piss her off and prove that I would do it when she (keep in mind she was a teenager at the time) told me that if I wanted to go to my friends house so bad that I should "ride my bike". It was probably at least a six mile bike ride and I was only in the fourth grade at the time. I knew I could probably get into big trouble for it, but I also knew it was more likely that she would get into big trouble for it. Wasn't I a sweet little sister!? Best EVER I tell you!

Anyways, I point these things out mostly to say that I fully deserve what I got. And that is three children who bicker. A LOT. And when they aren't bickering it's rare... but it actually looks something like this :

And I count my lucky stars when that happens, cause I know it probably won't last long. It serves it's purpose though, and that is to remind me that there is always hope that the bickering may someday come to an end. It may take twelve years, mind you. But it WILL end.... eventually. :)

Boy I love them in spite of it though.

Silly kiddo

So for those of you that aren't around EB a lot, I will tell you one thing.... the kid is a toon!

The other day I gave each of the kids a cookie, in the basement (yes, I broke my own rule, but I really didn't want to have to go supervise upstairs and they were in somewhat distructo moods).

EB took his and quietly sat down against one of the big pillows I made, and pulled the little cow blanket up over his legs. Looked up and me (I was right next to him), grinned, and started to munch away at his cookie.

He so rarely sits still outside of being asleep I was surprised that he did it of his own accord :)

Boating wit der Fambly!

So Monday came along and the origanal plan was for Winders and her kidlets to take the loooooooong trek home.... but ALAS! They decided to stay one more day!!!! Yay!

So Dad decided to pull out the boat and take us all boating!

Here is another "picture overload" of the day :)

Qwerty holding EB on the boat as we race along and Dad being captain.






























Qwerty holding the boat to the floating dock so we could tie it up and play and have lunch!

After lunch (no pictures sorry... 2 hands, 3 kids, nuff said? m'kay) ... Winders and Missy swiming. When missy first got in she had a really hard time with her life jacket and keeping her face out of the water, it wanted to tip her forward, so Winders ran and jumped in a saved her! Yay for great aunts!

More fun on the dock!






























Goober and Miss Thang jumping into the water at the same time.:)


Miss Thang using the "floatie" lol I can't believe she actually got her legs through the holes.



























And Goober using the "floatie". He actually seamed to enjoy the thing even though it was ment for smaller kids :)

EB in Miss Thangs goggles... I didn't even adjust them. Didn't realize the kid had such a large noggin! And of course Missy getting ready for us to take off and go tubin'.


































Qwerty on the tube (he was AWESOME!)

And Miss Thang with Goober, then Winders and Missy went together "really slowly" :) Missy loved it.


















EB was so tired, he missed his nap, and therefore totally konked out on Miss Thangs lap as we were all tubin'.

It was so fun to have them come visit! I always love having them around, and while it hadn't been that long since last time we saw them, I was still sad to see them go. I love them tons and hope to see them sometime soon again, it's always a blast when they are around!

Having a "Riot"

So Friday night we decided to take the kids to "Riot Zone"... it is after all, as close as we get to an amusement park around here (which is very, very, sad!). Goober had asked me a couple of days before if we could go golfing... and while neither Jer or I play "real" golf and Goober had never even set foot on a real course, I decided Miniature golf was the way to go to see if he even enjoyed it. In the event that he didn't enjoy it, Riot Zone had other "stuff" the kids could do instead. We invited Gma and Gpa J to come with us.

Needless to say it was a hit.

I've been wanting to take my kids there since last summer, but somehow whenever it would occur to me we wouldn't have sufficient funds, if you know what I mean. Well, this time I made sure it happened.

They had a great area that was chalk full of inflatable toys. Everything from a jump house to inflatable boxing etc... It was wonderful cause EB could get involved too! He absolutely loved this big inflatable slide and went down it over and over and OVER.

After a while the adults all decided that it was time to leave the inflatable area. The kids were getting overheated (mine overheat really easily, something they definitely get from their mother... put them out in the sun and have them run around for five minutes and they are bright red. and not from sunburn. Though that happens occasionally too). As we were waiting to get something to drink EB decided he was just as interested in the drain as he has been in the inflatable toys. Silly kid jumped/stomped on it for about five minutes without any sign of distraction.

Missy somehow ended up with an "owey" on her finger. She was distraught. Thank goodness Gma J had some Band aids (though she didn't "technically" need one) and Gpa J had some good snuggles.

Then of course the Shaved Ice distracted her from the owey for the rest of the evening... even though it (the shaved ice) didn't last that long.

EB got mad at me every time I touched his cup. He wanted to do it himself dang it! So I let him... I did have wipes in my purse after all. :)

Jer (as always) was great with the kids and enjoyed a rare shaved ice as well. It seams that they become less common as you become an adult? or is that just that you remember them less? I dunno.

Missy had a hard time hitting rather than dragging her ball around the course. We tried a few times to help her out and then just let her do it however she wanted. Besides, we were there mostly for the kids anyways :) It was important that they had fun.

Goober was pretty good to stay off the "green" most of the time when others were taking their turns. Though most of the kids were oblivious to others the whole time we were on the golf course. They were almost comical with how often they would have been run over by an adult had the adult not been paying attention. Good thing the adults were though. :)

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EB was really good while the rest of us played golf, and though Gma J couldn't play along with us (darned shoulder!) I was glad she came along anyways!

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After golf we let the kids play on the inflatables again for a little while and then took off for home. .
Not only did we have fun, but we got to sleep in today as well. Double Bonus!

The 4th... er 3rd of July... :)

Yesterday my family cheated. I'll admit, we headed up to my parents house to celebrate the 3rd of July with them. Their little town does fireworks on the 3rd instead of the 4th so they don't compete with our, bigger city's, firework display. It's really nice cause we can see the towns display from my parents back porch.

This year when we arrived at their house it was raining (it was just a storm cell, no biggy), my mom hurt her arm earlier in the day so I helped out in the kitchen while my dad entertained the kidlets. The picture above is of him divvying out chips one by one so the kids wouldn't track them ALLLLLLL over the house. :)


After dinner we started with the personal fireworks (dad went to Alpine to get some good ones, GOOD JOB DAD!). Goober is describing the fireworks to dad as he sits on his lap.

Here is dad with all my kids! The kids are distracted by the fireworks Jer is lighting off :)

Goober and Missy with the Roman Candles.

Me helping EB with a sparkler.

This is one of my favorite holidays. I love that the whole nation gets together to celebrate our freedoms, not just our national holiday. I think this is one of the many reasons that Americans are so patriotic (or as some other countries would say "arrogant", I think they misinterpret national pride with thinking we are better than others. We aren't better, just more fortunate in many ways and we recognize that.)

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I am so grateful to have been born in this wonderful land, and while a disagree with many things our government does, I am still glad that I was not born elsewhere. As I look around myself and become more aware of the things going on in the world I continually am thankful for all of my freedoms.

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In many countries (even today) women are not thought of as equal, they have no freedom of speech or freedom of expression. They are oftentimes blamed for the hardships that others put upon them. They are often considered to be property, and if they get harmed or killed it is not considered something horrendous. I am so grateful that my daughter is able to be raised in a place that will give merit to her ideas, that will take her ambition and let it take her to wherever it will without discrediting it simply because she is a girl. This year, I'm not only grateful for my country in general but for the freedoms and rights it gives not only my sons, but my daughter as well.

God bless America.