king of the sky

We had a really good summer storm today. Unfortunately we happened to be out and about when it came. I guess I should say unfortunately for me but the boys were totally thrilled about it. We came out of Big Lots in a downpour. Luckily this time I was parked up front but still we had to get in the car. I thought we would wait a few minutes to see if it let up. While we were waiting Reed and Blue were having so much fun just standing at the edge of the sidewalk and getting soaked! Beau was trying to wiggle out of my arms so he could join them. I would hold him in my arms and stick him out in the rain. He thought it was great! Every time it would thunder (which was pretty loud- enough to make me jump a couple of times) the boys would yell and run underneath the ramada and then it would start all over again... creeping slowly to the edge of the sidewalk then standing directly in the rain and then running back as soon as it thundered. It didn't let up for the few minutes I was willing to wait so we ran to the car and got in as fast as we could. It took me three trips, one for Beau, two for Blue, and three for the stuff we bought. There was about three inches of rain on the ground and I was wearing flip flops. Now if you have never walked in a few inches of water with flip flops on let me tell you what happens... your backside is soaked because water gets "flipped" up. I didn't realize this until my third trip back and forth. Whoops! So we get in the car and we're heading home and Reed starts to tell me all about lightening. He said that lightening could go wherever he wanted to go. I tried to tell him that it followed the storm. He then told me that he thought lightening was king and could go wherever he wanted. Reed said the clouds are just lightening's floating chair and he just tells them where to go. To prove his point, Reed said, "Look the windshield wipers are bowing to the king." I couldn't argue with that.

:)

So Colby and I were in the car the other day and he hands me his blackberry. He had an email open from one of the girls who works in his office. At the end of the email there was ":)". Colby asked me what this little symbol meant. I told him it was technology's way of smiling. 'Oh' was all Colby said. He didn't seem amused. A little later he showed me another email wanting to know what the little symbol meant ";)". Again, I told him it was winking. Again, not amused. He told me that he gets these "things" in his emails all the time and never knew what they were. Obviously, he wasn't concerned that they were too important because he has been working this way now for two years. Yes, it's true, Colby is all business and no fluff. And he wonders why people think he is scowling all the time :)

my kind of camping

This past weekend we went to the Busby family reunion at Hawley Lake in the White Mountains. It has been strictly a tent or camping trailer situation for as long as I can remember. But in recent years, a few of our cousins have rented cabins located on the other side of the lake. So this year Chea, Channy, and I decided to follow their example, especially since our husbands wouldn't be able to come for the entire trip, or come at all. I have to say... I have been converted. I don't know if I will ever be able to sleep in a tent or camping trailer again. It was sooo nice to go back to a dry open space where Beau could run around without me having to follow him or tell him 'No, don't eat that rock.' It was also very convenient when it would rain during the day to have somewhere to go where all of us (Chea and kids, Channy and kids, Heidi and kids, me and my kids, Anthony and Sara, Danny and Francis, and Grammy) could still hang out together. It was like having the best of both worlds. Our kids "fished" (mostly caught crawdads and minnows), and even ventured into the lake fully clothed (Blue) or without clothes (Beau), and Reed kept his distance and just walked around in the water with his boots on. My kids had a blast! In fact, when we got home Blue started crying because he thought we were driving back to the cabin and not all the way home- nevermind the fact that it was a three hour drive home and only a ten minute drive to the cabin from camp. I guess when you're three your concept of time isn't really accurate. I have to say thanks to Chea because she documented most of the trip for me. What would I do without her skills?!

superstar

So this is my niece Josie. She is quite the entertainer. I told Heidi she should have a web cam on her because it is so amusing to watch her. Even when no one is looking, she walks around shaking her hips. Still pictures do her no justice, but they will have to do for today. She loves to dance and she is rhythmn impaired like me. But she sure likes to get down. Josie is this little pipsqueak that can fit into tiny places, such as kitchen cupboards or backpacks (as you can see). We went to McDonald's while Heidi was visiting and as we were leaving Josie had to stop at all the other tables to wave good-bye. As we got to the door, she took one last look around to make sure she didn't miss any more of her "adoring fans".

castor oil

I have tried to start this post three different times but each time I get queasy. For those of you who have had the unfortunate opportunity of taking castor oil know what I'm talking about. Out of desperation I took castor oil to induce labor with Blue and Beau. While it put me into labor both times, I will forever be scarred by the sight of castor oil. The greasiness sliding down your throat trying to force it's way back up and the film it leaves on your lips. Oh, no I think I'm gonna be sick! ... Okay, I'm back. About one year after having Blue, I was watching Tom and Jerry cartoons with Reed. There is one episode where Tom is being forced to be a baby for a little girl. She feeds him, changes his diaper, and gives him castor oil. I thought for sure that I was going to throw up when I watched it! And it had been a year since I drank it. When you are nine months pregnant and it is the middle of June in the valley of the sun, you will try anything. I didn't think I could do it again, but like I said I was desperate. So I found myself, gagging castor oil down again. Now a year later I am writing this not because I think it is therapeutic but because I recently purchased a large jug of liquid Tide laundry soap. This soap happens to be dye free and fragrance free and looks exactly like castor oil. The first time I poured some of it out I was, no joke, sick to my stomach for ten minutes. I was hoping it would get easier the more I used it but with no luck. While keeping up with laundry is no easy task in itself, using this new soap hasn't made it any easier. I didn't realize how difficult this has been for me until this morning Colby didn't have any clean pants to wear to work. I am writing this as a warning to all the other former castor oil drinkers... do not use the dye-free and fragrance-free liquid Tide unless you like the clothes your wearing today because you may find yourself wearing them again soon, and not by choice.

catch me if you can

My boys love to sing! They have been known to belt out a tune or two. Currently they are working on mastering "One little slip" and "Don't go breakin' my heart", both from the movie Chicken Little. Well, today we were listening to Brad Paisley's new cd, 5th gear. If you haven't listened to it you are missing out. There are some great hits on it! Anyway, Blue was enjoying the music as much as Colby and me. There was one song in particular that he kept asking for... Mr. Policeman. If you are not familiar with this song the lyrics go something like "Mr. Policeman... catch me if you can." Pretty catchy tune also. Nothing to be alarmed about, you say? This is not the first "run in" with the police for Blue. Actually, the first time wasn't a run in either but kinda funny. In the winter, we were taking a family drive and for fun, Colby sped up on one of the roads because he wanted to swerve on the ice (a guy thing?). Well, Reed told him to slow down or the police would pull us over and Colby said, "Only if they catch us." Colby then asks the boys, "Are you in" implying that he was ready to race the pretend police behind us. Blue enthusiastically said something I couldn't quite understand, all except the last part which was... you wanna piece of me?! Boy, do we have our hands full!

go do your chores!

I decided I needed some motivation to get my kids to do some chores around the house. Not only chores but to bathe, get dressed, and brush their teeth without me having to walk them through each step. So I "designed" a new chore chart. I was pretty proud of my project. Reed and Blue will put plastic coins into each tin when they have finished a chore each day. At the end of the week we will exchange pretend money for real money. When I showed Reed my project he started asking me questions like "What if the money covers up the picture and we won't know what to do?" and "How are we going to know what order to do our chores?" So I had to fill one of the tins with pennies to show that he could still see the picture and then to solve the order problem we put numbers on the lids (not part of my original plan, but actually turned out pretty good). Reed seemed to be satisfied. Blue just wanted to play with the tins... magnets and compartments- what more could a three year old ask for? Notice in the pictures how Reed's chore chart is perfect rows and in order. Blue's, however, looks sorta like a random collage- just like their personalities. We will see how long the thrill of this new chore chart lasts.

it's raining, it's pouring

Today I decided to venture out with my three boys and go grocery shopping. When we left the house it was cloudy with a chance of showers. By the time I got to the grocery store (ten minutes later) it was starting to sprinkle. Forty five minutes later when we were coming out of the grocery store it was definitely raining. Luckily I was pushing one of the humongous shopping carts that aren't that light or easy to maneuver, the carts that have the car attached to the front. I couldn't wait out the rain because I was already late to meet some workers at my house. So I put Blue and Beau in the "car" part of the cart, hoping it would shield them from some of the rain and Reed happen to be wearing a cowboy hat (yes, the same cowboy hat Blue tried to wear the horse races- apparently it is the favorite accessory of the week). I pushed the cart to our car which happened to be not so close to the front of the store while Reed tried to keep up beside me. I got to my car, unlocked it and got the boys in before they were completely drenched. Now it started to pour. I realized the back of my car was already full of patio furniture that I had tried to return yesterday but Blue fell asleep on the way to the store. When Blue falls asleep in the late afternoon there is no waking him up. Trust me, this happens often and I try everything, even bribery to get him to wake up. And since I couldn't fit the patio furniture, Beau, and Blue all in one shopping cart we had to just turn around and go home. Anyway that was yesterday, back to today's shopping experience. Where was I?... Oh ya, so the back of my car was already taken. I was going to have to fit all the groceries in the front passenger seat. I grabbed two bags and a gallon of milk out of the cart and turned to put it in the front seat. When I turned back around to grab another load my cart was rolling down the parking lot (seeing as Flagstaff is in the mountains, many of the parking lots are inconveniently put on a slope). I quickly rescued it but was wasting precious seconds for, remember, I was working in a downpour! I finally finished and climbed in the car dripping wet(literally). This is when Reed matter of factly said, "Mom you should brought an umbrella or maybe a hat." Thanks Reed.

horse races

Papa was going to the horse races today and was trying to convince Reed to come with him. Reed isn't much of a horse lover to begin with so this was going to take some work from Papa. Papa said there was cotton candy at the races; this was a no go with Reed because cotton candy is sticking and gets all over your fingers. Papa mentioned hot dogs; strike two- Reed says hot dogs are spicy for his tongue. Strike three was not even anything Papa said. Reed heard that there was going to be a Spongebob Squarepants marathon on t.v. Blue, on the other hand, wanted to go where ever Papa was going. The races didn't start until 1:pm but by 9:am Blue had packed a lunch consisting of raisins, a fruit rollup, and a ding dong. He carried it around with him until it was time to go. Blue was afraid Papa was going to leave him so he followed hiim around the house. If Papa got up off the couch, so did Blue. Papa went to the bathroom and Blue followed him. Finally it was time to leave. With Reed's tennis shoes on and Colby's cowboy hat, Blue was ready to go. Luckily, we were able to convince him to wear his own tennis shoes and his fishing hat instead. They were gone for about two hours. When they got back, Papa said that Blue's favorite part was all of the rocks everywhere. When Blue had picked up enough rocks to fill both of his pockets he was ready to go home. So two races into the afternoon they left. But I'm sure it is a day that will not be forgotten soon by Blue or Papa.

sleepover

Heidi is coming up for a visit and is bringing Grammy and Papa and Pierce with her. My boys are thrilled! Reed has figured out the sleeping arrangements already. He told me that Papa can sleep on his bed (the top bunk) and he can also use Reed's "soft" pillow. Won't that be a sight to see- Papa on the top bunk! Then Reed also said that he would "play" with Pierce while the rest of us just talk, nevermind the fact that Pierce is almost sixteen. This says alot about Pierce- he is so good to my boys. They love to "play" with Uncle Pierce!

cheese crisp for breakfast

This morning Blue said he wanted a cheese crisp for breakfast. I told him I would make him toast or eggs or he could have cereal but not a cheese crisp. He pitched a fit and ran upstairs. About 30 minutes later he comes down again and asks for a cheese crisp for breakfast. I gave in this time because I wanted him to eat something or anything at this point. Of course he ate it. So what does a kid who eats a cheese crisp for breakfast want for lunch?...Pancakes, of course.