The 3rd "Boy" In My Life!!

I know this blog is supposed to be about the boys--but let's face it--I do live with three boys (well, males anyway).  I wanted to take a minute to talk about the third "boy" in my life.  Jacob has been in my life for ten years and we have had a lot of fun together. Over the years we have started doing things together that have stuck and are now routine--Every Friday night after the boys go to sleep we go outside and sit on the swing or bench and watch fireflies fly by and look at the stars.  We also use this time to talk--it's one of my favorite things to do with Jacob.  We talk about things we would like to do, places we would like to go--we talk about anything and everything and it's so nice to just sit there together and have that time--just the two of us. 
Saturday nights have become our movie night.  We always rent a movie and watch it together on Saturday night.  This is an exciting thing because we actually get to watch movies that aren't animated or geared towards children--we enjoy watching those movies with the boys but it's nice to watch things that are rated PG-13 and R from time to time!  Ha.
About once every couple of months the boys go and spend a couple of days with their grandparents.  Jacob and I use this as a time to go out--we'll go eat somewhere and go to the theater and see a movie. Sometimes we even go shopping, play a board game or just go for walks, even just sitting in the park and talking is always nice.

We have a lot of fun together and I am thankful for the time we get to spend--just the two of us.  I am very blessed to have 3 terrific guys in my life! 

A "Thank You" To The Special People In Alex's Life!

It occurred to me yesterday evening as I was pulling into the garage (and saw the apple doll heads) that I have forgotten all about the apple doll project.  I am assuming the boys have forgotten about it as well because neither of them have said a thing about it.  I plan to try and finish them this weekend or next week--I'm curious to see what ideas the boys have and how they turn out when we're finished with them.

WARNING: Slight Mushiness Ahead!!!!!  

The boys have been making fishing poles with one of Alex's therapists (she always has enough supplies for Logan too so he doesn't feel left out).  They are very excited about them and want to hang them from the ceiling--we'll see what we can do!  She first started working with Alex when Logan was a baby. We see her at least once a week--sometimes twice!  She has become a constant in our lives and she is one of the first people we talk to when we have a concern with Alex or we're starting something new with him--whether it's a new specialist or a new type of therapy--which are all bridges we are getting ready to cross with Alex.  She is always encouraging and helpful and over the years we have become friends.  She is great with Alex and always goes out of her way to work with him and to do whatever she can to see him succeed.  We are very thankful for all she has done and continues to do with Alex.

The boys proudly showing the fishing poles they made

Alex with Ms. Jennifer--the boys love her!


I was thinking about all of the wonderful people Alex has in his life--people who see him for the sweet, intelligent, fun boy he is.  The people who encourage him and help him--who are patient with him and go out of their way for him.  From grandparents who are willing to help with anything at any time to therapists who patiently work with Alex.  People who just fell in love with my boys and claim them as their own.  Aunts and uncles who play games with him and go out of their way to make him feel important.  My best friend goes out of her way to look for fun things Alex can do that will help him in certain areas. I have friends who invite Alex over for play dates even though there are times they can't understand him while he is there.  They go out of their way to try and understand him instead of just brushing him off--which means a lot to him--and us! I have an aunt who is always giving the boys books, puzzles, and activities that Alex can use to practice certain movements, sounds, etc.  Little acts of kindness such as this mean a lot to us.  I am very thankful that my children have so many wonderful people in their lives. I wanted to take a moment to say "thank you."

Now--enough mushy stuff!  Here are some pictures of the boys being silly!

Happy Weekend!

Little Moments of Fun (or Insanity)

It occurred to me that I haven't posted anything in a few days so I wanted to ramble about our day and share some pictures (of course) with every one! Oh, and if you notice mistakes in the blog--I apologize.  I accepted the fact long ago that I can't write, but I can tell stories.  (Plus, it's difficult to find time to proofread and edit your blogs with two boys wrestling, chasing bugs, and getting into mischief!  So, I apologize for the lack of grammatical excellence . . .)

You know the phrase "America runs on Dunkin"?  Well, today, it's true--at least in my home.  My boys are lying on the couches in the living room watching The Little Einsteins as I type this.  I am sipping Dunkin Donuts Cinnamon Spice Coffee (thank you, Denisa!) and listening to Tina Turner sing, "We don't need another hero . . . We don't need to know the way home . . . "  I had forgotten how much I enjoy that song.  My sinuses are threatening to kick my butt, but I refuse to go down without a fight (so to speak).  The boys and I went to the library this morning and took all bazillion books back and checked out 6 more.  Yes, only 6.  The bag was so light as I carried it from the library to the car--what a refreshing feeling!  I am sure we will be back in a few days to add to the load.  I signed up the boys for the summer reading program, but the first time we went to find books on the list they were all (yes, you heard me, ALL) checked out. Today, I pulled out the list so we could see if any books were available and Alex rolled his eyes and said, "Not that again!"  I said, "It's the summer reading list!  THESE are the books you're supposed to read!" He gave me that annoyed expression, extended his arms out to his sides in a "what the . . . " pose and said, "Mom!" using that tone that I didn't realize started at the young age of five. I said, "What?"  He said, "I don't want to look for those books.  I want to read what I want to read."  I said, "We can still get books you pick out, but we can get some on the reading list too."  He said, "No, I don't want to.  I want to read what I want to read not what they tell me to read."  Logan, trying to help, shrugged his shoulders and said, "We could win a Wii."  Alex rolled his eyes, sighed, and slapped himself on the face over his eyes (Yes, literally slapped himself--the sound echoed through the library) and said, "Little brother, we already have a Wii!"  Logan looked up at me as if to say, "Hey, I tried!" I was tired and didn't feel like arguing with my 5-year-old son about what books to read in the middle of the library.  Have you ever tried to argue in a library?  You can only whisper so loud before you realize that maybe the library isn't the best place to have a disagreement. So, I folded the list up and put it away and the boys, smiles on their faces, hurried to pick out their books.

After the fun and excitement at the library we went to the park.  I have been trying to read House of Testosterone by Sharon O'Donnell for some time now. It is a hilarious book and there are so many parts in it where I want to shout, "YES!  That is how it is in my house!" When you're sitting in a park with other mothers it's not really a great idea to shout responses to the book you're reading, so I try to restrain myself.  We have started a routine where we go to the park and the boys play until they get tired or thirsty and then we go--which means they usually get to play for about an hour.  We left the park and drove by the university on our way home.  Logan pointed to it and said, "I want to go see daddy at his work."  I said, "Well, we are sweaty and gross and I don't think the ladies daddy works with would appreciate us coming in there all stinky."  Logan said, "Maybe we can stand outside and yell at him until he comes out to see us."  I told him we'd try to go yell at daddy another day.

We bought Blueberries for Sal a couple of weeks ago in honor of Logan's blueberry bush and we have read it many times.  I have even caught the boys acting out the story from time to time using Big Bear and Baby Bear (their stuffed animals--one was Jacob's as a child and one was mine). Yesterday morning we had to move the imaginations outside because Logan insisted on incorporating the blueberry bush into the game.  I have noticed that it is, in fact, Logan's blueberry bush--Alex asks Logan if he can water it before watering it, whenever a blueberry is ready to be picked Alex tells Logan and the berry is picked for Logan to eat.  He is a 4-year-old who loves his blueberry bush--it is the cutest thing.  When a bush or plant is pulled into a play group then you KNOW it's something special!

So, enough rambling--on to the pictures. 

This is the smiling face of one of the apple heads hanging in our garage.  The boys and I read The Apple Doll and the boys wanted to make their own apple dolls so we started the process last week.  They are still drying but starting to look more like they should (according to the directions in the book).  Once they're dry we'll give them bodies and clothe them--it could be great or a disaster--stay tuned!

Alex jumping on the couch--it's something he isn't supposed to do, but there are days (like today) when I hear the voice of my mother-in-law say, "Pick your battles" and I chose not to devote too much energy into forcing him to stop jumping and sit down.  He was smiling so big that I had to take a picture--two minutes later he was bored with it.

Logan searching for Sam-the-Snake's little brother (or Little Sam)--he got tired of a 4-year-old boy finding him and picking him up (well, Logan didn't pick him up, Jacob did, but I can guarantee that Logan would have picked up the snake had the opportunity presented itself) so he found a new hiding place--Logan is determined to find him!

Next . . . the apple dolls . . . I'll keep you posted! 

The Apple Doll, Part One

We have already made a few trips to the library since last Friday.  It's amazing how excited the boys get when you tell them we are going to the library.  Some books we keep the whole two weeks and others we read once and then take them back and pick a different book.  We have a system when we go to the library (other than trying to find books on the boys' summer reading lists)--I tell the boys how many books each of them can pick and they go randomly pick their books.  Logan pulls out the book and looks at the cover and if he likes the picture on the cover he adds it to his stack of books.  Alex will pull a book out and ask me what it is called--if he likes the title he adds it to his stack and if he doesn't like the title it goes back on the shelf and he keeps searching.  Logan usually has 3 or 4 books before Alex picks his first book.  We always have a nice variety of stories to read by the time we leave the library--which I like!

On a recent trip to the library one of the boys picked a book entitled The Apple Tree by Elisa Kleven. It is a book about a little girl who loves her family's apple tree; in fact, she loves everything about apples.  She spends all of her time playing in the apple tree.  When she has to start school she picks an apple, makes a stick body for it, and names it Susanna. She takes it to school with her so she won't feel alone.  The children at school make fun of her and the teacher asks her to stop bringing it to school.  The little girl's mother eventually shows her how to make a real doll out of her apple and encourages her to take it to school for show and tell one day.  The little girl takes her doll and the children like it so much the teacher asks her if she will help the entire class make their own apple dolls.

I wasn't really sure how my two boys would react to this book.  I finished the book and they both started asking questions and talking about the story.  As they were talking I turned the next page and found that the author had included two pages of instructions on how to make your own apple dolls.  I shared my find with the boys and they both got excited and asked if they could make apple dolls.

So, today we started the process of making apple dolls. We (well, it was me, but the boys watched and gave moral support--ha) peeled the apples and then cut out noses and carved eyes and mouths.  We then put them in a lemon juice-salt mixture to soak for 30 minutes and hung them in the garage where they will dry for several days.  The fun part will come next week when the boys get to make the bodies, clothe them, and give them hair or hats to wear.  The boys are excited about it and keep asking if the apples are ready--at this rate it will be a long several days but it will be well worth it on the day they are ready and the boys get to finish their apple dolls.  Until that day here are some pictures of what we accomplished today.

The book we read (and enjoyed!)

The apples soaking in lemon juice and salt

I decided to hang the apples in the garage to dry--it is a warm and dry place.  The book listed a wire hanger as one means of hanging the apples, which is what I used.  I am afraid the boys' apple dolls may have boo-boos when they are dry from the wire going through their faces.  Ha.  I should have thought it through a little more before stabbing the apples with the hanger.  In my defense, when two little boys are excited about something their excitement tends to be contagious and you find yourself in a hurry to see the results.

I also wanted to share a picture of the snack the boys had today--Interesting Inchworms!  Banana slices placed side by side to form a worm, cookie crumbs sprinkled on top (or cookie chunks if you're working with a 4-year-old who insists on more than crumbs), gummy antennae, and mini M&Ms for eyes.  The recipe came from the book I received from Alex for Mother's Day--it's full of fun snacks that we plan to try this summer!

Now we wait.  The apples should be ready sometime next week . . .

Summer Vacation is Officially Here!

Today is Alex's first day of summer vacation.  It was nice not having to rush around this morning and get everyone ready and to school on time.  The boys and I went to the library and I signed up the boys for the summer reading program.  While we were there I let them each pick out three books and one video.  I love taking them to the library and just walking down the aisles of books with them.  We don't read the titles or look for specific books--the boys just start pulling them off the shelves and we take them home and read them.  It might sound like a crazy system but we have discovered many wonderful books this way--books we have never heard of and fell in love with once we read them. 

We ran some errands and did some shopping--the boys were perfect little gentlemen and we had a lot of fun! Today has been a productive day and the boys and I even had the chance to go outside for a bit and look at all the vegetables and fruit growing on our plants.  I ordered "Blueberries for Sal" last week for the boys in honor of Logan's blueberry bush--it arrived today.  This was fitting because while we were outside we noticed that two of the blueberries on the bush were ready to be picked and eaten by an excited 4-year-old boy.

I received a little cookbook from Alex at the Mother's Day Tea that is full of snack recipes.  The children made these snacks every Friday and I hope to start making them with the boys throughout the summer.  The boys love to help in the kitchen so it will be a lot of fun to try!

This is Alex's first summer vacation--in many ways it seems like a big deal. Not only is it his first of many summer vacations, but in a couple of months when school starts he will be in school all day--which will be a big adjustment for all of us. I have a friend who said, "Don't you wish you could stop them from growing up so fast?"  It is a wonderful question--it is also the reason why I spend so much time with my two boys and why we are constantly doing things that they enjoy.  They won't be little forever--we can't pile bricks on their heads to keep them from growing and to keep them little--it just doesn't work that way.  So, we play with them and remind ourselves to enjoy the little things. We have a fun summer ahead of us and I intend to enjoy EVERY moment of it with my boys. 

Happy summer!

60th Birthday Party and Water Fun

We celebrated my father's 60th birthday this weekend.  I made a birthday cake for him (with help from Logan) and we spent the rest of our time playing and having fun outside.  I wanted to share some pictures of the boys having a blast in the water.

But first, here is a picture of the clown cake I made for my dad's birthday.  He got a kick out of it--it felt strange cutting into the clown's face and eating him, though.  Ha.

The boys had a lot of fun playing on the Slip N Slide

The boys playing in the Elmo sprinkler

Filling up their water guns in the water mat

Logan and Jacob looking for bugs

Jacob caught a spider with one of Logan's bug box tools--they are all looking at it here. Alex looks as if he is ready to run away, though!

Alex with crazy hair

Alex and Logan getting ready to have a pudding cup

Well, I'm off to the living room for movie night with my guys!  I hope you enjoyed the pictures of the boys.  Until next time . . .

My World

I am listening to Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness by The Smashing Pumpkins as I walk through my home picking up items and straightening up things.  Rain is pouring outside and thunder periodically booms through the sky as it answers the lightning's call.  Alex is at school and Logan is sitting in the recliner with his Tag readers and reading pen--every once in a while he looks up and watches the rain through the back door. I was thinking about how sick I am of the rain--I hate getting out in it to take Alex to school or to run errands.  It does add a new sense of adventure to an errand when it's pouring rain and thundering (and a 4-year-old is with you).  Logan sat and watched the rain fall on the patio for a while and then said, "Mom, my strawberry and blueberry plants are getting a big drink of water today."  Children are just so cute sometimes.  My two boys are constantly saying things that stop me in my tracks.  I am thankful that I am able to stay home with them and spend time with them each day--to be there during the little moments.  I don't wake up in the mornings and go to a big office or get paid a ton of money for my job duties--instead I have two bosses who have both stolen my heart.  They have these cute little faces, adorable laughs, and their innocence is a humble reminder of things I take for granted so often. Sure I spend most days doing laundry, helping with homework and projects, and cleaning up but I also get to eat lunch with them every day, take them outside and watch them play, build sand castles with them, watch movies or paint--I love spending time with them and I think I have the best job in the world right now. I get paid in hugs and nothing is more rewarding than a little boy thanking you for making lunch for him and then saying, "You're a good mommy!"  My world is a world of little boys--super heroes, sword fights, football, wrestling, bug hunting, club house meetings, and car racing.  It is also a world of kisses on a booboo followed by a band aid (which is a miracle cure for any boo boo),  reading the same book over and over again, making cookies just for the fun of making cookies (with two helpful little bakers), helping little hands hold a pencil and write their names, numbers, and letters.  My world is filled with kiddie music and movies I've seen a thousand times but still watch because a 5-year-old begs to watch it just once more and explains why it is, in fact, a really good movie! My world is reading bedtime stories each night, tucking my boys into bed, and hearing, "I love you, mom" as I hug and kiss them good night.  My world is Trix yogurt, Goldfish crackers, macaroni and cheese, and fruit snacks--My world is being there to see all of their firsts, cheering them on in everything they do, and encouraging them when they are struggling or frustrated.  My world is about teaching my sons to be good people--it's about the time out spot and explaining why certain actions have consequences and are not allowed.

There have been people--from time to time--who ask why I always talk about my children. The answer to this question is a simple one--my life revolves around them (their needs and wants) right now--they are my world.   I am very happy and feel right at home in my world.  I hope when my boys are older they can look back and cherish these little moments as much as I am right now.  They won't be little forever and I'm glad I am able to be here with them while they're little (and still think I'm great). Here's to my two amazing little men!