When I was going through pictures earlier this month, for Mike's bday surprise, I came across this picture from my wedding. Both of my grandma's. They have both passed away since then. I love this picture more than words can express

It now sits in my kitchen window. It's the perfect reminder of womanhood and what it means to be a wife and a mother.

And here's Ivan in the blue ones. He also loves Parkers hand-me-downs

Ivan's "thing" is animals, the color blue and football. He is always an animal. Mostly a cheetah. In fact, when he puts his clothes on he has to run around like a cheetah to make sure there are no weird pulls or tugs. It's safest if we just wear shorts and short sleeves. This is one of his test runs after I bought him those gray shorts.

so that means we eat like a cheetah too. Most dinners we are feeding him under the table, like he's an animal sneaking up for a bite of our food.

and if he's not being some sort of animal he is outside playing football.

Their "things"

This is Jack's "thing" right now. Size 10 Power Ranger pajamas that his 18 yr old cousin wore when he was a kid and this watch from Mark and Lisa that came in a happy meal or something years ago. He wants to wear both all the time and walks around telling us it's 60 o'clock.

I took these pictures this morning. I was in the kitchen when he woke up. He came walking out and said, "mom, I've got some wax in my ears. I fink there's 2 of them." We get lots of those types of random thoughts from this kid. He is so funny.

Kids seem to go through phases of what they are into. For a long time Jack carried the green chic-hit car from the movies cars. couldn't go anywhere without it. Then it was a horse. Now it's either this little power ranger guy or spiderman guy. It has to constantly be with him. The only thing I don't like about it is when they set it down some place and then later they ask me where it is and cry at me to find it. Freak people, I'm not the one who plays with it.

A couple other norms in Jack's vocabulary are "lasterday" and "one last more time." I love it!

Jacey

 Another thing I can't believe is that Jacey is 2 1/2. We've been watching her since she was a baby and it seems unbelievable that it's been that long. She's cute and a smart little thing. Her and Jack have a great time together.

 We got Jack using the potty at the beginning of Sept and training that kid was an absolute pleasure. I think we owe it to Jacey. They were training her around June and August and I don't know if it was the potty power video they lent us or him just watching her go, but whatever it was we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!

 I get plenty of football, basketball and fighting animals or ninja's, but with Jacey around once in a while, we I get a lil of this too!

She's a sweet heart and we love having her

Ever in your wildest dreams did you think you would reach this day?

We don't look a day over 20, I know!  So we are just as surprised as you are that Mike turns 40 this month! 40 I say! It can't be true can it? And even worse, that means I'm not far behind him. Now does that look like a 40 yr old couple to you?!?! Yes!! Yes, I hate to say it, but it most definitely does. Boo hoo :(

 But we still had a great celebration. I surprised him with a few things. I arranged for the kids to sleep at my moms. We went to dinner, walked around the mall, went and got ice-cream, then went back to our clean, quiet house. It was nice. Then the next morning we went and had a couples massage. Much needed and way over due. Then my mom brought our kids back to our house and watched them at our place while we went on a bike ride. We haven't been able to do that alone since we got our bikes. Ahhh it was so fun!

 Ok Mike,  get in front of me and I'll take a picture of you riding. Lets see if a 40 yr old rides his bike any different than a 39 yr old

 K Becca now you get in front of me.....

lets see, how many different pictures can you get of the same two people on the same two bikes? Mike wanted to get all the mountain ranges in the background, so look at that instead of us.

No, I didn't do my hair or make up that morning :)

Well then that night I had arranged for a little surprise dessert night with friends. They were to come at 8:00. About 7:30 I was hustling to make dessert while Mike went in to put Jack down. After about 20 minutes I thought, "oh dear, Mikes going to fall asleep in there with Jack," as he often does. Plus I needed help cuz the baby was starting to get fussy and Ivan was starting to get in my space, so I went in and got him. He came out all relaxed and on the verge of sleep so when I said in a whisper, "uh, surprise, I've invited some friends over" he tried to look happy and thankful, but really didn't and wasn't! Then when he came out into the family room and saw the pictures on the tv and the pictures tied to balloons he looked like he had a pretty good stomach ache. Please don't make me play a silly game with pictures!!!

There was no silly game. I did however find a few pictures to represent different times and traditions in his life and we passed them around and just kinda talked about them.

Something must be funny

something must stink

well It turned out to be really fun, thanks to fun friends. Happy Birthday Mike. Only good things ahead I'm sure.

Summer is officially over

(thought I'd put it up with all the naked talk and all)

The weather has been so great up until this last weekend. I'm sad to see it go, but must admit the first snowfall is warm and cozy for me.

Some nights are better than others

Ug, so it's 8:03 and I've been pouting in my bed for the past 20 min!! I don't know why I do this to myself! Bedtime here is... hmmm..... I'm not sure what it is. And that is the very problem. I'm not really a rigid, scheduled person and that is fine and works fine, but there are those few nights when it back fires! Normally we just try to go to bed when we go to bed. I mean, we'll get the kids to bed by like 9:00 or 9:30 and it doesn't take much effort. A few stories. But then there are those days where Jack hasn't taken a nap and I get these high hopes that we can get the boys to bed early. Soooo I suggest Mike take Jack in at 7:30, sure that he'll fall right asleep. Well of course around 7:30 the kid is so tired he gets this crazy energy and wants to play instead and fights going to bed, when normally he doesn't really fight it. Then of course Ivan's not tired at that time and so he starts the begging to play and then Jack starts to cry cuz he wants "his Ivan", but of course Ivan can't be a helper and just go in for a minute and read with dad and Jack till Jack falls asleep and so then it's taking more time and energy than it would've if we didn't try the early thing and my head is running circles and I start to get all mad at everyone and the situation. Then of course the baby has to fight going to bed, when she never does. So then Ivan realizes I'm no fun and the better choice is to go in with dad and Jack. I sulk. And sulk.

But then the phone rang and that got me out of bed and now I've decided I'll come post some pictures from the other night when bedtime was a good time. It's now 8:21 and report is yes, Jack is asleep, Ivan is not. So that means either I say it's fine for him to come out and go when we go or Mike's going to end up laying in there with him for the next hour and it once again defeats the whole "going to bed early" thing. Ug, Ug. Anyway- the other night was fun! I stuck Maybell in the sink again, a lil more comfortable this time. I don't mean to be graphic, but I didn't have any clothes on either and so when I snapped the picture of her you could see my reflection in the mirror. I didn't notice it in the picture at first. But as soon as we did notice it we couldn't stop laughing at how funny that would be to post the picture and say, "oh, aren't naked babies so cute?" ahahahahahaah. Well, this is the shot you would prefer  to see. We won't post the other one.

Then Mike put on a teeth brushing show

Jack took the gargling picture. Not bad.

And Jack is so funny and so cute. We were all just going to get in our bed and read, however Jack comes in and pulls up a pillow on the floor and gets his blanket over him and presses his little hands together next to his face like he's ready for some pleasant sleep. Ivan would NEVER do that.

This is more Ivan style. Soon Jack joined us! I do love to read to my boys and snuggle them in my bed. It's just hard to have your cake and eat it too!

Hee Haws

Thank goodness for "Ms. Krispy's."  

We got to go to Hee Haws the day after Halloween on a field trip. So my kids did get a little fall culture! The cutest thing about this picture is little Jack way in the back cart. You can't see him darn it, but it's cute the way he's poking out in the back.

They have this fun slide. It's pretty big for a 2 yr old, especially a cautious Balle 2 yr old

But look how cute, Jack thinks he's just going to march right up there and go down. I'd love to see that!

Buuut, knew I wouldn't. Changed your mind huh?

This one is a little better

and thanks to Hee Haws, the free pumpkins the kids got to pick (and Mike), we carved after all. Does it matter if it's after Halloween?

Don't forget to notice that cute little face there in the back ground