Almost makes you wish you were in preschool again

G got to dress up for preschool today. He had so much fun! It almost made me wish I could stay and play.

More halloween posts to come. There is nothing cuter than kids in costumes!

Celebration part II

We had a celebration for G's real birthday and I thought I'd share some highlights.

It unexpectedly snowed--which kids always find to be the most fabulous birthday present. 

I made the BEST pizza I've ever made. EVER. Seriously, I thought I had ordered out. If you are interested, the recipe was pepperoni pan pizza from America's Test Kitchen click here for the link. 

We didn't make another cake, but we put candles in all of our food (a tradition stolen from our awesome friends). This was G's dessert. 

G got a bop-it which he and E promptly began fighting over.

Also not pictured--G received a box of fruit by the foot from our friends. He ate one immediately. He also discovered the joy of silly string which everyone enjoyed the privilege of getting sprayed with.

Finally, we have taken pictures of both boys next to this bear to document their growth since we brought them home from the hospital. I can't believe how huge this kid is. He truly is a child and not a baby or toddler anymore. 

Tonight he asked when he would turn 18.

Too soon.

E is a little climber and is constantly looking for something new and naughty to do. These pictures were all taken within 5 minutes of each other. The child never stops.

With this one, I kept hearing thuds and finding him on his bum in between the chair and the wall. We finally just moved the chairs because he couldn't resist them. 

He loves the fireplace so I finally relented and told him he could climb on it if he sat. He spent the next 5 minutes climbing up, sitting on his bum, and swinging his little legs. Then he would climb back down and start all over again. It was one of the cutest things I've ever seen. 

Then brother decided he wanted to be part of it. You can see how that went over. 

Finally, here's a little preview of Halloween. Love this kid!

Apparently so

So in regard to my last post, apparently I am the only person who isn't in love with the fall. (Except for my mom--hmm...). It's not that I hate this time of year, it's just that I don't get why everyone else loves it so much. My reasons are threefold. 

1. Fall signifies the end to me. The end of summer and freedom and trips and warm weather. It seems sort of like an annoying messenger bringing the sad news of winter. Fall hits and all I can hear is, "The end! It will soon be so cold you can't leave your house for 6 months and you will go crazy with your two little children bored out of their minds every day!" 

2. In a similar vein, it reminds me that the holidays are coming and that after all of those months of preparations and anticipation, after all of the family has come and the house is so full, there will be an end. The holidays are so fast. I love that time of year and it is so fun, but it is also so fleeting. Before I know it my plans that I have had in store for 5 months are over. The presents are opened, the decorations are packed, and the house is empty again. And then the waiting game begins with nothing to do between January 1st and April/Easter. So in this way, fall just seems...lonely. 

3. I honestly just like other times of the year better. I LOVE SPRING. After being stuck in my house forever trapped by snow and ice and freezing cold the spring feels like hope. We can play again!! We can leave the house without 40 layers! Spring colors are beautiful. The flowers appear and everything smells so good and fresh. Then summer creeps in and it is so hot that all you want to do is go to the pool...so you do. You can ride your bike and play outside. You go on trips and visit family. There are parades and carnivals and street vendors. You can make a giant slip and slide down Grandma's hill that the grown ups play on longer than the kids. I loved the fourth of July this year. We saw the balloons and watched part of the parade. We had home made root beer and I wore a cute summer skirt while we ate outside. Then we all laughed at hubby while he slowly gathered a flock of neighborhood kids around him in front of our house as he pulled out 8 year old illegal fireworks and we sat in lawn chairs enjoying his show until the sun went down. 

So, no. I don't love fall. It's fine. But Christmas and carols are wonderful. And warm summer nights are fabulous. Sigh. If only California wasn't going to the dogs. I think I could live with spring/summer year round. 

Am I the only one?

Fine, I'll just say it. Am I the only person who doesn't love fall, halloween, and candy corn? 

 

Five minutes ago:

Me: "Ok G, you need to change into your pajamas and brush your teeth and get ready for bed."

G: "Uhhh. Mom, I like my freedom. Why don't you just leave me alone?"

Me: "What? Where did that come from?"

G: "The Book of Mormon."

When I stopped laughing I asked hubby about this and he said that they had recently read about Captain Moroni and the title of liberty. If you think about it he's really got a point. Your mom telling you to put on your pajamas vs. trying to free your people--it's basically the same thing. 

Here are a few things we have been doing lately:

Enjoying burritos

Getting my dissertation in the mail. 

When I got this and my diploma it made me feel so relieved. I still have dreams that I forgot to go to a class all semester and now have to take the final exam. Last week it was Spanish. (By the way--I blurred out my name. It doesn't really look weird like that.)

Making our "BOO" blocks. Power tools make you feel so...powerful!

And last, but not least, driving Mom up the wall! Have I mentioned yet that I love preschool? Bless those people!!!

They Say It's Your Birthday!

We celebrated the boys' birthdays on Friday with a big family party. It was a lot of work, but I really love trying to make their birthdays special for them. Here are a few pictures of what we did:

My parents came into town to celebrate with us and help with the party. Here's Grandma with the two little crazies.

E didn't get much of a choice for his cake. I made him a chocolate one in the shape of a basketball jersey. G wanted a strawberry flavored cake so I shaped it like a strawberry. It was actually quite good (if I do say so myself). (The names are blurred out--they didn't look all crazy like that in real life.)

Here's the food--which featured 3 types of pizza and watermelon from our own garden! 

Grandma and Grandpa H

Grandpa B enjoying cake

E having some of his birthday cake. He was actually so enthralled with the birthday plate he started to ignore the cake. A problem--I can assure you--I have never had!

This was G's present to E. He picked it out and wrapped it all by himself. 

Aunts and Uncles

My sister and her husband.

Here's E eating m&m's off the carpet.

About 2 hours past his bedtime, E was thoroughly partied out. I guess you know you are 1 when you are the first to leave your own birthday party.

Today for the first time ever, I watched the movie Babe with G. While watching, G came up with this little gem:

"Why are those mice still there? I just wish they would die so that I don't have to listen to them talk or sing anymore."