Sunday Night Fetch and Grab

Sundays are big days and by the time dinner time rolls
around, we're often too pooped to put in much effort.
So, Sunday Night becomes a free-for-all.
We call these dinners "fetch and grab" meaning
to find what you can (within reason) cuz you're
pretty much on your own. Tonight, my little fellers
opted for self-made PB&J's and apples
(stinkers, didn't want the stir-fry we'd actually made).
The stir-fry took all I had and so they were on their lonesome.

First, you have to taste it to make sure it is okay.

Then you hafta spread the peanut butter on the bread.

This can get messy so you usually hafta lick your fingers.


AND...while your dumb big brother has already made and
gobbled up 2 or 3 sandwhiches...


You're still on step one and hafta take a little bite
just to make it through step #2.


which is squeezing out the jelly...


You hafta squeeze REALLY hard!
(check his tongue...he's working hard)


FINALLY, you're all done and quite pleased with yourself.


AND your big brother is halfway through is 154th sandwhich!
(Eli only had one sandwhich then he was on to muffins
and apples...I'm fibbing on him...stinker wouldn't let me take
a blame picture!)


Good Grub!

Just Gus...

It was cold today, baby, so we pulled out sweaters and hats.

You were warm and cozy in this hand-me-down from bubby.

You were all soft and happy in the light of the doorway
where you were watching for Nana.

And I caught that smile that melts my heart.
I love you!

Fall Soccer 2007

Soccer is hardcore this year.
Eli is in the U9 Academy which
is a mini-travel team getting
our guys ready for the real thing
next year. They have paid
coaches and specialized training.
Eli has a passion for being goalie
and elected to add goalie training
to his already hectic practice schedule.
The guys sure learned a lot this year
and the level of play was amped up
several notches. We were amazed at
the difference. Here he is doing his stuff!

What Gus does during soccer when
he's not screaming to be on the field too!


More action shots...Go Westfield!

Ready for Mom's Day Out!

Here's my bright-eyed, shiny face boy
all ready for a big day at school!
(Momma's REALLY ready! It's 9:30 am - 2:30pm
Can you say tall chai tea latte and shopping! Whee!)

Toddler Trouble

If you're lookin' for trouble...
you came to the right place.

I guess it SHOULD be common sense
but the "What to Expect the Toddler Years"
book does NOT have a chapter entitled
"ARE YOU NUTS? Don't get a puppy when
the baby is two and other mistakes that
will knock you on your a@#" ;)

SERIOUSLY...I have a two year old who
won't make poo in the potty but hates
(insert scream, yell, tantrum) when you
go to change his diaper because he made
poo in there. The dog ACTUALLY does
make poo, VERY LARGE POO outside (now) BUT
as of today is requiring two different kinds
of ear medication that must be precisely measured
and administered with an inordinately long-pokey-probably-
could-rupture-his-ear-drum syringe deep into
his doggie ear canal. So, picture, me
wrestling LARGE playful, floppy puppy
who does not want his ears messed with (this process
takes approximately 184 hours) during which
said poo-o-phobic two year old
decides to poo in his diaper and begins
a level 4 meltdown with sirens wailing
while I'm trying NOT to puncture the dogs
eardrum even if I can manage to squirt
the stuff in his ear after I risk life and limb
to get it out of his large and toothy doggie mouth.
INSANITY...Complete insanity.
I say that because I think
I'm sort of having fun.
(help!)

Wook Momma I Got My Own Bekfast!

NO REALLY...
The title of this post is what he honest-to-goodness
said to me when I came downstairs (not two minutes
after he did...honest nana) except he adds
a little, "Ta-Da!" for flourish.

I'm torn between my pride at his intelligence in trying
to sell this behavior as an advanced mastery of a self-help
skill and my utter annoyance that he HAS CLIMBED to get
to the candy bucket's new hiding spot when I realize
that I'm being worked over.

The pictures have been entered into evidence to validate
the hammer of justice that came down swiftly with
a big, fat three-minute time out.
(He's ONLY two!)

Exhibit A: Empty Wrappers...
(Just look at how tidy that pile is!)

Exhibit B: Caught red handed with a red one.
AND a huge wad of something in his mouth!
(See his wee, little face...he's SO remorseful.)

Exhibit C: A Full Confession...orange, I think.

(Well, it wasn't like it was right before bed or anything.
If your gonna have to deal with a sugar rush
it might as well be first thing in the morning. That way
they'll crash in time for the afternoon nap!)

Halloween 2007

Our fun all started with a Halloween Party at School!

Cookie Monster goes tail-gating...
(party animal)

Cookie and Beckham hanging out, waiting for the fun.

Cookie Monster and Honey Witch try to
pose for pictures but they're chomping at the bit
to be out the door...Honey Witch isn't happy
at being delayed.

Cookie Monster smiles for the promise of candy.

Honey Witch wants to know,
"Ugh...Are you serious, come on!"

Cookie Monster completely breaks down under the pressure
and has a snack, "Cookie, COOKIE, COOKIES!"

Honey Witch is supportive.

Cookie Monster in the throws of his cookie obsession.

Honey Witch begins to worry, "Oh, baby, are you alright?"

Honey Witch Kisses

It's a miracle!
Honey Witch's Hat stays on...FINALLY.



Getting the swing of it...



Work it...WORRRK IT.
Own it...OWNNN IT.



Hey there Honey Witch,
Did you end up trailing candy all over the neighborhood?
Should you have been Hansel and Gretel, Honey?

(Okay...when the bag got heavy, she drug it until
there were holes in the bottom and she was losing candy
like an old car leaks oil. This after she told half the
neighborhood that chocolate rots her teeth out.
She actually turned down candy at the first three or four
houses because she was worried about her oral health!)




This guy...doesn't turn down anything.
Trick or Treat is his favorite freakin' thing EVER.
I think it beats out his birthday.
He kept saying, "Okay...let's go to the next house!"



Big Guy Beckham (LA Galaxy Soccer Guy) here
ran into the famous Mr. Drake who is known
for his exemplary care of children. (Mr. Drake
is the director of our church's Early Childhood Program.)

Anyways...Beckham got a little longer leash than
Cookie and Honey so there's not a lot of pics
of him as he was usually a good five houses ahead of us.



Happy Halloween!