some more ramblings

• alot built up and waiting in the cue.....read or not, it's okay. it's mainly for me to remember these moments down the road.
• cloud animals~Gabe said to me in the car the other day "look Mom a cow"! I quickly thought to myself 'oh good gracious where?' since we were "sailing" through town kinda late for dinner (and God help us if there is a cow running through town. A moose, yes. A cow, holy cow!). Doing a quick scan and finding no cow i asked him where? "Up there!" Pointing to the sky. And sure enough, if you looked hard enough, there was a cow shaped cloud up there. Loving the imagination that is blossoming!
• how come boy undies are more expensive than girl undies (and i mean for the little people)? is it because they have a thicker waistband and a little more fabric in the front for that overlap the hole thing which i always thought was completely useless bc do they really use that. i know my little guy doesn't use it. and that waistband. they can save money and slim it down bc all it does is make boy undies harder to pull up than little girl undies. but don't worry, i'm not going to be buying him little girl undies anytime soon!
• nick was up from his nap, so gabe decided to help me get him. he ran in and shouted "happy holidays nicholas!" his brother of course thought it was just as funny as i did!
• the boys have been taking more baths in our bathtub. it's bigger. hence, less drama when gabe decides to act like a turtle, fish, whale or whatever aquatic animal he feels like that night. we treated them to a bubble bath complete with jacuzzi jets and all a few times back. gabe=big smiles! nick=big frowns! so the next time they took a bath in there gabe said "turn on the engines Mom"!
• put the kids to bed. hung out for a bit to make sure gabe stayed in bed. decided i was good and hopped in the shower. after shower, checked to make sure my call was correct. not correct. i found gabe in the bathroom "cleaning" the sink with cotton balls. ordinarily this would be great. except it was now 9:30 and part of his cleaning routine involved stuffing cotton balls down that little hole in the top of your sink that is suppose to drain the water out "in case the sink is filled too full with water" (ie. potentially averting the disaster of an over flowing sink.) i tried to pull as many out as i could with the tweezers and needle nose pliers. the rest, hopefully, disintegrate before the sink is mysteriously filled too full with water!
• at least once, sometime twice a week after doing are morning errands, when i know the boys are just on the brink of falling asleep but need a few more minutes of the car sounds to lull them to sleep, i keep driving past our neighborhood. until their eyes grow so heavy with sleep that they give into the hum drum of the car. i tell myself i do this so i don't have to deal with nap time drama. but really, there never is much nap time drama. i secretly do it so when i pull them out of their carseats their heavy, sleepy bodies fall against me while nuzzling their face into my neck. it's bliss. their smells. their heavy breathing. it's a moment i always want to freeze in time bc i know before long those moments will be gone.

ramblings

• the reason for no pics lately (and consequently, not many blog entries....bc it's not as fun to blog if i don't get to show the boys off), the motor in my camera lens burnt up....seriously....when did it happen you ask? oh don't worry, i'm gonna tell ya. when my Gabe rode his very FIRST snowmachine by HIMSELF for the FIRST time. i wasn't upset or anything...wink, wink. except i didn't know at the time what was wrong with it. just that it wouldn't take a freakin' picture. and yes, i had my trusty point-and-shoot, but that is so lame after using the big daddy! my camera would only work in manual focus....not even close enough to being good enough to use that feature....sigh! i'm still waiting for the motor to come in.....
• AND if that isn't enough, i start a basic photography class tomorrow night for the next six weeks. can you say timing? yeah, it sucks! it's one of these things i get to cross off my bucket list. super excited to hopefully learn how to use my camera like it's meant to be (ie. maybe even a little dose of manual). i have no desire to be a professional. just want to make my camera purr a little and take a few decent photos of my boys! so i'll go without my 18-55 and instead will be packing my 75-300. not conducive to the class but it will have to do. bring on the fun!
• spring is quickly coming! it was 51 degrees today!! hip hip hooray! the signs are there. giant puddles from on the ground that has yet to thaw and soak it up. i'm sitting here at 9 pm and it's still light out. a little more blue-gray on the mountains each day. four seagulls spotted chillin' on the light posts. a snow free driveway to run and play on. tons of dog poop appearing daily in the backyard as the snow melts away....sorry....couldn't help myself :)! i'm ready to call 1-800-dog-poop bc i have way too many bags already....ugh...gross....i know.....sorry again!
• i save one of jeff's t-shirts when he is gone for his two week hitch. then when i feel like i can't do it anymore i can smell a little of him and it helps me make it through that day/moment/tantrum/crying jag! he didn't know about this until a couple months ago when he came home and found a shirt under his pillow...my secret was out. but secretly, he loved it. he makes a point now to make sure there's a shirt waiting for me in the laundry basket or under his pillow.
• i bought a real pineapple for the first time last week. usually i'm lazy and just buy it already with all the hard work done. the boys thought it was so neat. in fact, as i was cutting it, nick kept pulling the top out of the trash and running around the kitchen with it. the best part though, the sweetness. it was like candy. they would've ate the entire thing that night if i had let them! needless to say, it's on the grocery list for this week!
• aunt janice called friday and asked if she could take gabe for the day bc she had one of the other little cousins already. could she?! most certainly! i'll take a morning of errands with only one little. nick and i were shopping pals. he enjoyed being able to walk by himself holding only a finger. he jibber jabbered in the car like i've never heard him before (prob bc he can't get a word in edgewise when his brother is in there with him). we giggled through a yummy lunch! then we went home and took a naps together (well not in his crib but you get the idea). we woke up, had snacks, read the books he picked out, and played a little tower crashing. i don't ever get a chance to hang with just nick. it was refreshing and just what a momma needed! plus, i think he enjoyed it more than i did!!
• two months from now i will be in the florida sunshine! a little beach and outdoor pool time. bring it on!
• i've gotta figure out how to change my itunes account from my desktop to my laptop. my desktop has been internet deficient for over two months and it wants to wipe out my entire itunes library if i try to do it on my laptop.....technology.....ugh. this must be why my brother boycotts apple.
• my bff gave me a cranberry chicken recipe a while back. i finally had all the ingredients (well kind of ;) to make it last night. oh my good gracious was it deelish! don't know why i waited so long. and even better. super, super easy!! love me an easy, scrumptious recipe!
• as i sit here watching the american country music awards, i realized that one of the biggest things i miss about living in the states is the ability to go to a good concert. we get a few good ones up here every now and then....but not knock your socks off, stomp your feet, leave hoarse with sore hands from clapping kind. i would give anything to have the quick ability to see me a little sugarland, miranda, kenny, or zac brown (to name just a few) in person. bc face it. i'm a country girl at heart. there's no denying it.
• good night friends!

Zeeb Alert

The elusive Zeeb has been found! I think what made it so sweet was that Gabers found him on his own and the excitement in his voice, undescribable!!

He was "hiding" in a pocket of his backpack. Silly Zeeb! And silly Mommy for not thinking to look in the favorite played with almost everyday backpack with a "mini" pocket!!

Zeeb was pretty much glued to his hand for the rest of the day!

Hooray for long lost buddies!

thanks

After we say prayers at bedtime, we think of something to thank God for.

Last night, Gabe thanked God for Nick standing on the train table and having to stand in the corner for it (bc he wouldn't get off when I asked him.....his developing independence and strong will is another post all in itself).

Tonight, he thanked God for Nick screaming really loud and getting in "trouble" for it (note: i silently asked God that he's not entering the terrible two's....again, another post).

So we had to rethink what we were thankful for. That maybe we could think of something good about our day instead of something Nick did wrong.

"I'm thankful for snowmachines Mom!"

things you say

• We were making french toast the other morning and Gabe was helping me make the batter. After he added the cinnamon and nutmeg, he said "look Mom, it's all muddy! Yummy mud though!" I second that yumminess!
• I sometimes tell Gabe to watch it or he's going to crack his head on whatever furniture, corner, wall, or floor that he is being a monkey around. So when I looked up and saw him standing on the window ledge the other day, I asked him to get down before he cracked his head on the shelve. His reply was "or all my eggs will fall out, Mom?" Yeah, something like that son!!
• Every morning Gabe says, while we're eating breakfast, "Mom, it's getting bootiful outside!" Whether its cloudy or clear, it's always getting beautiful. Makes me stop for a second and admire the beautiful sky with my boys and remember that even cloudy days can be beautiful! Through the eyes of a little one!
• The other night I told Gabe I had to go to work the next day and that Grandma would be here in the morning when he got up. "You have to go work to give people medicine and hugs to make them feel better Mom?" Yep!
• So the other part of that conversation..."I worry about you everytime you go to work Mom." Took my breath away. Seriously! Why is he worrying about me? He should be worrying about what crayon to use or which monster truck to crash. Not me! He can't already be a worry wart like his Mommy...at three! My brain skips into overdrive after I tuck him in. What are we doing wrong that is making him worry about us? And the only thing I can come up with.....his Daddy being gone for two weeks at a time every two weeks. And then I sit and wonder (and worry) about what we are doing to him emotionally. What scars are we creating? But that's a post for another day....way to deep for me to get into now.
• I sat down on the couch with Gabe the other day as he was playing away with his trucks and blanket. And happened to sit on a corner of the blanket. "Mom, you wrecked my imagination!" So sorry didn't realize I had that kind of effect on things. I'll try very hard next time to make sure and look for your imagination before I sit down :)
• I wrapped a blanket around my shoulders the other morning because I was cold. Gabe said, "you're wearing your super mom cape today!" I wish that blanket had magic mommy powers!
• We were outside playing a couple of weeks ago and all of sudden Gabe yelled "look Mommy, there's ice sparkles on the house!" Sure enough, there were 'ice sparkles' on the house in the form of icicles! Love it!!

Missing

Small 5 inch tall zebra.

Most recent photo taken 3.4.11

Been stiched up along his right leg and neck.

Because of the above, he only has a few "beans" left in him.

Zeeb with his best friend!

Very matted down fur from being loved on, cried on, and always involved in playtime.

Goes by Zeba, Zeeb, or Zeebie.

Notice Zeeb in the dump truck. Don't notice blurry photo!

Last seen after nap time playing with beloved owner and his friends.

Noticed missing before bedtime.

Please help reunite these buddies!

Please, God, if you know where he is please send the Mommy a sign!!

We really, really miss you Zeeb!

Potty Talk

some of our most creative conversations occur on the potty!

a sampling to follow. (warning: beware of the poop talk)

"i stand up and hold my little pee pee like daddy holds his big pee pee mama!" (this made your daddy smile)

"look mama, it's a mickey mouse club house poop with a french fry poop!" (your descriptions of your poop shapes are very descriptive)

pointing at your pee pee, "look, it's a big fat one!" (also making your dad smile and snicker)

as i'm going potty (bc i never get to go by myself it seems) you came in and asked me where my undies were, since you couldn't see them tucked in my pants. your response upon finding them "oh good mommy, you need them to keep your pee pee warm!" hmm, never thought of it that way!

and we've mastered the art of peeing on a tree! the beauty of having a boy and being layered in snow gear! we don't have to go inside and get undressed only to get redressed again! plus, he thinks it's fun to watch the snow melt!!