Just a Random Spattering

So I understand that it's bad form to include more than one topic in a blog entry, but you guys are just happy when I post something right? Right. Okay then, just understand this is a hodgepodge of silly pictures and not my best creative work.

This is what our last Saturday night looked like. Rockin' it out!

This is Charlie's latest silly face. He is a total goofball.

Just him lookin' dang cute.

Charlie is sooooo attached to these creatures - Bear and Doggie. He has to have them when he sleeps and as soon as he wakes up he gathers them up in the crooks of his arms before he does anything else. Does Bear look familiar? He was also Joshy's bear. Speaking of attached, I thought I had lost it one day at a bowling alley. When I went back to see if he was still there, I started crying. The 15 year old employee probably thought I was crazy - and I probably am.

His shirt says "I do all my own stunts" and he's not kidding. Charlie will climb anything, jump off of anything, and pretty much do anything that his big brother will. He's insane; by far the toughest 20 monther in the neighborhood.

Charlie loves to sit by Josh and work. He knows a couple letters and has mastered drawing the "O" and "I". Josh loves to work on projects all day too. He makes valentines, collages and pictures of superheroes. He sounds out words and writes them all by himself. Like just the other day he wrote "BAD GI" and "SUPRMAN".

Fake smiles. Hee hee.

Playing Play-doh together. These moments make me melt every time. I love their stinkin' guts.

Ha ha. I tricked you into looking at my tulips.

Nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh ... BATMAN!

So, my little Josh-bean is four. He said he wanted a batman party, so I did my best. Every kid that came got an official batman cape and tool belt. We decorated bat planes and had a bat plane throwing contest. We also bowled for bad guys (pictures of villains taped to 20 oz. soda bottles).

I was hoping that cupcakes would kill some time, but four-year-olds can down a cupcake in about 30 seconds it turns out. Note to self for the next birthday party.

Joshy got to open a few small gifts.

Then they flew out the door for a bat hunt. This was my favorite part, because they were running around so fast, their capes were billowing. They seemed to think it was fun as well.

Jake helped me create this tunnel into our "bat cave" out of butcher paper and our kitchen table. Upon entering the party, each kid had to become batman before crawling through our secret entrance. It seemed like a good idea at the time and Josh loved it, but I swear every kid bumped his head on the table going through and entered the party crying. Another note to self.

I'm not a master cake baker like some of you (Hill/Jolynn), but I hope to acquire the talent someday. In fact, this was my first round birthday cake ever. I had to go buy new round cake pans. And I thought I was pretty cool for free handing the batman symbol with a frosting tip. All in all I would consider the party a success. Josh was sooo happy and that made me really happy. However, I can't believe he's four ... that makes me just a little bit sad.

A Day in the Life

Hi everybody! It's Liz. I know, don't freak out. Have you seen this painting by Norman Rockwell before? I love it. If I were rich, I'd buy it for the boys' room. I just thought I'd borrow the idea and give you a glimpse into my boys' world rather than a REALLY long catch-up post. Here goes.......


A day in the life of Josh:

Wake up and head outside. Help Dad shovel the driveway and sidewalk if there's been snow. Lately, it's been dumping.

All work and no play makes Josh a dull boy.

Head to preschool at Miss Kristi's and make some ridiculously cute craft that you'll demand to keep in your room for the requisite 3 months before finally forgetting you have it and not noticing that your Mom snuck it to the garbage. What?




Eat nothing off your lunch plate and make yourself a cozy bed somewhere in the house (under the crib, in a beanbag, on two kitchen chairs pushed together) just in time to fall asleep.

Wake up and play with friends - usually best friend Jonah. This box is a transformer. When asked what it transforms into, you reply "a box". duh.




Eat dinner. Your favorite being anything with sticky rice. Seriously, did it have to be sticky rice?

Have a bath. Make something to show Daddy. This is an x-ray. Run laps with Charlie around the house for about 20 minutes and then...





Fall fast asleep surrounded by your "creatures".

A day in the life of Charlie:

Wake up happy and eat twice the breakfast that your big brother eats.



Where does all that food go? Your hair?




Head outside to play with your brother. There's a rule in my house; nobody gets real snow clothes until they're at least 2 feet tall.




Play in Joshy's room and read books while he's in preschool. Yes...that is a jet pack 3000.




Play everywhere else and make big messes until Daddy gets home.

Eat dinner with the family (and again eat twice what Josh does) being very careful to use your best table manners.



No it doesn't matter how many times you ask. I'm not going to tell you what's on that finger.



Have a bath. Have a story. Run laps with Josh until you collapse in exhaustion at the very late hour of 7:00.

So there you go. I hope your homes are as dirty and happy as mine. Now I'm going to go collapse in my own bed.

Trip to Overton

A few weeks ago I was able to take a Friday off of work and we made a 3 day weekend trip to Overton. The major activity we did was make a trip into Vegas and see some of the things on the strip that Liz hadn't ever been able to see. We also hit up a Barffet, but we steered clear of the one at the Luxor ( Yemenyade and a Roosta Bee-ah). It was right around the time of Joshy's birthday, so Grammy Jo and Bampa took him to build-a-bear, where we did our best to keep him from picking something hideous. Apart from Vegas, it was mostly just a nice, relaxing trip where we could watch a movie, get in the hot tub, and just take it easy. So, on to the pictures...

Josh was very excited to get to build his own bear.

The initial bear selection was the crucial moment that needed lots of input from us. The Saint Patrick's day bear and the Kitty Cat were very enticing to Joshy.

Choosing an outfit was less dangerous, as you can see, but he changed his mind about 15 times.

In the end it was Batman. When it was time to give the bear a name, Josh said "Batman!".

Charlie was getting bored, but still being good, even though he wasn't the center of attention.

Grammy and Bampa did their best to entertain as we walked through the many casinos.

The last thing we did was visit a fun garden at the Bellagio with giant ants and yard things.

He showed us what those ants were doing. Everyone around laughed out loud.

He loves his Bampa.

And this is how the day ended.

Playing Ketchup

We know we haven't updated in a very long time. Lizzy has started up teaching ballet again, Josh has been steadily gaining in Potty Power, and I've been sick since the trip to Overton ( I got better this week ). Charles is mastering the Exersaucer and coughing for attention. We'll have to do a better job of posting the little things we go through week to week in the future, but for now here's a bunch of pictures we've taken over the past couple of months.

Two happy boys.

Joshy on snow day.

He wanted to give him a hug.

Charlie studying.

Josh loves my old Legos.

Playing "big chess". Josh knows all the pieces including the "Ping Pawns" and the "Rooktangles".

Charlie can only look and wish.

Josh and his tinfoil football helmet. The Heisman pose just isn't the same when you have a grin like that on your face.

And now for a game. What is this a picture of? Scroll down to see the answer.

Made you look!