Sorry it's been so long...

This little ditty courtesy of Paul...
Yesterday, Paul and Isaac were headed home from Wichita and Paul asked Isaac if he would rather have a shower or a bath when they got home. Isaac put his finger to his mouth like he was really thinking about it and said, "I hate to be a bother, but...bath."

the car ride from hell...

We just got back from a whirlwind trip to Missouri. We left Friday late afternoon for my mom's house at Table Rock, went to Branson and Silver Dollar City on Saturday, and came home this morning. I hate boarding Fozzie, so he came with us and did surprisingly well...until the ride home. About 10 miles from the cabin, on some really hilly roads, Fozzie barfed at my feet. Great. So we pull over at the next gas station, get gas and clean up. About 30 minutes later, Tim yaks his entire cup of MILK from breakfast all over the back of my seat and all over his blanket and bear. Neat. Another pit stop to clean that up at which the bear got thrown in the trash. About an hour later, Fozzie, who was in the back seat at this point, throws up again all over Isaac's jacket on the floor of the backseat. Screw it! We didn't even pull over - full speed ahead! All was well until about 5 miles from home, I hear weeping in the backseat. I asked Tim what was wrong and he said, "I miss my bear!" So needless to say, Tim is getting a new bear for his birthday.

Then earlier tonight, Tim was in the bathroom for what was turning out to be a lengthy transaction. I peeked in to see if everything was OK. Tim was on the pot and Isaac had taken his basketball game that hangs on the doorknob into the bathroom and was shooting baskets, keeping Tim company. That's love...

Tim is Ticked!

I finally broke it to Timothy yesterday that his favorite playground in Winfield burned to the ground. I expected about 400 questions, but I didn't expect the strong reaction that I got. With arms crossed in the back seat of the car, he demanded to know who did it, how old they were and where they lived. First, he was just going to kick them for doing it, then changed his mind and said, "I'll give them one more chance, but if they burn another playground, I will set THEM on fire!" I did my motherly duty of discouraging him from setting someone on fire, but had to suppress my laughter in doing so. He also wanted to go door to door to find the people who did it. Later, I showed the boys pictures a friend had taken of the playground on fire. Tim briefly looked at them, then turned around and walked off saying, "What rude kids!"

I Boated!

Yesterday, after I picked up the kids, I told them I had to go vote, then instructed them that they needed to be very good there. Isaac, who always repeats everything I say back in a question, says "You have to go bote, mom?" Yes, Isaac. Apparently, he thought we were going to go BOAT, so he said. "Well, I need to go home and get my life jacket!"

Halloween 2008

This year, we had 3 fun-filled days of Halloween. Because there was no school on Friday, Timothy had his parade and class party on Thursday, then we had trick-or-treating on Friday and then a Halloween party on Saturday. All events went very well and we will be eating candy until next Halloween! Here are some pics from the festivities.

Timothy's Kindergarten class
Kindergarten class party - with Isaac participating - shortly before he almost threw his mask in the fishbowl

The three Super Heroes - Timothy as the Dark Knight, Isaac as Spiderman, and Luke as The Hulk

4 cousins - the Super Heroes and Abby as a Monarch Butterfly

Trick-or-Treating

boys-n-baseball

I'm not one of those obnoxious parents that think that my kids need to be good at sports to be a successful person. In fact, I hate those people. Honestly, I wouldn't care if my kids didn't play sports - then I wouldn't have to be around those other parents. But, I tell you what - Isaac may be a pro in the making. And if he is, then all the trouble he has caused along the way will be worth it. It started with the rock throwing that hasn't entirely subsided. That kid can launch a rock...which he has done at the neighbor's windows and gotten the cops called on him...that is another story entirely... and at my new car that I had owned for 1 week. But now he can hit a ball being pitched to him about as hard as I could. I was pitching to him in the front yard last week and he hit it right back at me...and hit me in the mouth. No time to react. This 3 year old hit a wiffle ball back at me so hard that it made my teeth cut the inside of my lip. Batting next in the lineup was Tim. First, he hit a rocket into my shin. Not a huge deal. Then, I pitched a ball to him, leaned over to pick up another ball, and he hit a ball squarely on the top of my head as I was leaning over. At this point I was not pleased. Being the butt of every joke and the target of every misplaced throw growing up with 2 older brothers, I don't have much of a sense of humor in this department. I informed them that the next time I got hit, I would no longer pitch and go inside. YES - I KNOW - they have no control over where they hit it, they are little boys - but I was having childhood flashbacks! Timothy tried to act serious about it, but could not suppress his laughter at me and said, "Mom, I'm sorry. My giggles are just coming out." Which made me laugh...even though I didn't want to. Baseball is in their genes. I just want them to grow up loving it, playing it, and making memories with their friends. As long as they are doing that, I'm happy. And please, if you see me acting otherwise throughout the years, please slap me as hard as you can back to reality.

E.T. Phone Home!

This weekend, the boys and I watched E.T. I hadn't seen it in a long, LONG time and the boys had never seen it. Tim just continually amazes me with what a dear heart he is. It was the part of the movie where E.T. was dying and Tim just busted out crying. I said, "What is the matter?!" After a little coaxing, I got it out of him that if he had E.T., he would take care of him and love him like Elliott did, and he would be so sad that they were both dying. What a precious boy! I said that I knew he would and everything was all better when E.T. came back to life and made us all laugh with his "E.T. phone home" business. I love that he is this way. I hope he stays this way and doesn't come across dirtbags that change him, because I will then have to punch those dirtbags out. Obviously, I have a lot to learn from Tim.