The world according to Blake (sometimes known as number 1)

We were driving around waiting for the potential buyers to leave our home. Numbers 1 & 2 were not very happy about this and just wanted to go home. They were asking all sorts of questions, like:

Blake: So, are they going to live in our house with all our furniture?

Mommy: No, we will take our furniture with us.

So, we'll live in their house with their furniture?

No, we will live in a different house with our furniture. Of course, we will probably also buy some new furniture.

Will you buy me a new computer?

You already have a computer. We just had to put it away to "de-clutter."

I don't want that computer!

What computer do you want?

I don't want a square computer - I want the other kind.

What other kind of computer are you talking about? A laptop?

No. A rectangular one. I want a rectangular one!

Brent and I couldn't help laughing. He was referring to the monitor. Apparently his mostly square 17" monitor is unacceptable - he needs a wide screen!

This is Maxwell's side of the conversation:

No, no, no, nnnnnnooo handlebars, no handlebars......

Metronome?

Telephone?

Magazine?

Gasoline?

Microphone?

I WANT TO GO HOME! NOOOOOO! I. WANT. TO. GO. HOME!

He's kind of into one-sided conversations, and loves repeating the last word to each stanza in that song.....it's all very cute......and sometimes annoying!

All while Jack watches and listens......probably realizing he must have been born into a crazy family :)

Bet you thought it was going to be the Beach Boys, didn’t you?

In between days at Disneyland, we stopped by the beach, to a place Noah said was Their Spot. We loved it. I could live on the beach, literally. In fact, when we first got to L.A., I hated it. Once I hit the beach, I could see why people loved L.A. so much. (I suppose the nice weather doesn't hurt either.) So here is my short film (again, it's a long one by my usual standards, sorry) entitled Chariots of Fire........

This one is dedicated to my Dad. Whenever I hear this song, I see them running on the beach. Love you Dad!

Autobahn at 120mph

This is the first post about our trip to Disneyland. One of the first rides we rode was Autopia. Blake LOVED it! He was so serious and told me, "Mom! Now I can drive your car. Because I know which way to turn. That way is left (he pointed to his left) and that way is right (he pointed to his right.)" In that moment, I realized that I desperately wanted to be able to cherish this memory forever. So I made him (trust me, he didn't complain) do it again, and this time I filmed it.........

*I always try to keep my videos short, as I know I usually lose interest after about 30 seconds. Stick with it, you'll enjoy it by the end, I promise!

I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas....

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas
(you know, before the roads turn to brown smoosh)
Just like the ones I used to know
(like before dinosaurs roamed the earth, and Micheal J. Fox was IT)
Where Santa Claus built us a fire
(in the fireplace, of course)
and we'd open our presents
(we took turns, and it took hooouuuurrrrs)
listening to the crackle of the fire
(especially if the wrapping paper SC tossed in was foil or extra-flammable)
and Mrs. Claus would make us scones
(for breakfast, or is that lunch, or was it brunch?)

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas
(not just the movie, either)
Just like the ones I used to know
(seriously, another lifetime ago, like when Nintendo 64s roamed the earth)
Where Mom made lots of goodies
(like toffee, mexican wedding cakes, and peanut blossoms - and Dad made pumpkin pies)
And Christmas Caroling was a tradition
(Ben had us add White Christmas to our caroling repertoire)
And we didn't have to make our own Christmas dinners
(seriously, Ham is easy as pie compared to Turkey!)


That's the White Christmas I dream of.......








Reality hits in.....

We woke up to a White Christmas
(seriously, cornea-searing bright white here, people)
Just like we've never had before
(well, at least not with our boys)
Filled with lots of legos
(which Baby Jack tried to eat)
And of course second only to the favored legos: candy
(which Baby Jack also tried to eat)
After which Santa Claus made us from-scratch pancakes
(which Baby Jack actually got to eat.)

Merry Christmas!

**WARNING** (ADULT CONTENT HERE, PEOPLE)

This morning my little (ok, so he isn't so little) baby woke me up a bit earlier than I wanted to wake up. I nursed him and laid him back down to bed. I climbed back into bed. Brent was getting dressed, and I had run out of water. He filled up my glass, setting it on the nightstand, and then started to tuck the blankets in around me, finishing with a kiss (and leaving me all giddy inside.......with looooo-oooove, no seriously people, I loooove it when he takes care of me like that.) As I lay there hoping to take a quick 30 minute nap, I couldn't help but think about how much I love my husband. I feel the need to insert this now, before I go any farther: I am not perfect. He is not perfect. We often disagree. And we both have annoying habits. I love the little things he does for me - those little things are what makes me feel that he actively loves me and cares for me. I love his little boy grin. I love his touch - when he grabs my butt (hehe) or touches my arm or leg in affection, when he rubs my back and especially my feet. His touch makes me believe in the healing power of the human touch. It could make me weep for little babies who never get held, for children who never get hugs. I love going to bed with him beside me every night (even if I only give him a full 5 inches of prime-mattress real estate......which he lovingly forgives me for, night after night.) I love (actually I hate it, but you'll get the point) kissing him goodbye every morning. I watch the clock starting about 5pm, knowing he's driving home and I can't wait for him to get here already! When he's with me, I feel safe and secure. Now, before you go thinking that I am a dependent, insipid, cliche female, I JUST FINISHED SHOVELING SNOW OFF OUR ENTIRE DRIVEWAY. (Beat that, suckas.)
I love the way he loves our children. All of life's cares seem to float away when I catch (what sometimes seems very rare) glimpses of oh-so-worth-it moments in our little family's lives: reading the same four books night after night, sometimes substituting wrong words here and there......the laughter that ensues is the best medicine for my soul. I love the way that he would let the boys stay up forever if I wasn't there to tell him to "put them to bed already." The way that he loves giving them special treats (read: junk food.) I love to watch them wrestle, or to jump on the trampoline - again, the laughter is soothing to my wearied soul. I love to see how he can get my two oldest sons to work together to build something, rather than the usual fighting. I just love him. This isn't to say that again, we don't disagree - we do. Especially when I've hit the Nordstrom Shoe Sale (hehe.) But there are truly times that I find myself overwhelmed with the love I have for him. I can't imagine a life without him. I want to grow old with him (but I am selfish, I want to go first, because I can't imagine ever going to bed without him.)

p.s. Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention: he finally changed the thermostat to 71.....gosh, I love him!

Barnes Family Portrait

We did it! Though they aren't perfect, I am uh-mazed at how well they turned out. It was tough to try to get all three boys picture-ready. We didn't even get there on time (turns out that traffic is still pretty bad going from KS to MO between 5 and 6pm,) and I had Brent stop by Target to pick up baby food for Jack because I had forgotten it - the whole process of just getting there seemed sooooo hectic, but we made it! We took the pics.......



Brent was feeling feverish, so I sent him home with the boys while the "girls" weeded out the bad pictures and decided (for MomB - that's a silent B, for Barnes) what pictures we thought she should get. Once we finally decided (my Dad would appreciate four woman trying to agree on anything, lol) we headed out for some Chipotle Burritos (thanks MomB - Brent really appreciated his burrito, despite his fever!) Brent was shivering, I was worn out. So.....we went to bed at an unprecedented 9:45pm! Fortunately Brent was feeling better the next morning, although I did have him sleep in.

October, Part Trois

We started off the night with dinner. Not just any dinner - Chipotle Burrito was giving away free burritos to anyone who dressed up as one, so we wrapped the boys up in tinfoil, wrote bf+g (barbacoa fajita style plus guacamole) and treated ourselves to some yummy, and free, burritos! Whoo-hoo! (Maxwell was very confused and didn't want to wear his "burrito" suit......he was playing swords with all the empty tubes (from the foil) that were lying around!)



We stopped by the Wing's house and Brent and I took turns taking the boys trick-or-treating up and down their street. Maxwell had no problem running up to front doors and getting candy - but he made us carry his hat and his trick-or-treat pumpkin. He's even learned to say "tank you." Blake was very casual and nonchalant about the whole thing - the perfect Indiana Jones, lol!

I have to say that this is only the second photograph of Blake and Maxwell together, smiling! Each month we add a minute or two to the amount of time they actually get along.......we are up to 12 whole minutes each month (lest you think by this photo that they are best friends and get along well!)