O Tannebaum!

This will be the first year since Zach and I have been married that we haven't gone to one of our parents houses to celebrate. It is both exciting and a little sad. Because we have always been away from home for Christmas, we've never bought a Christmas tree before. And that, my friends, was definitely due for a change.

I love Christmas. It is by far my favorite holiday (following distantly by Independence Day, because I love America and fireworks and I love being allowed to hold sparkley fire on a stick) and one of the best traditions of Christmas is the Christmas tree. It's magical.

They were selling Christmas trees close to our house, so we decided to walk down there and pick one up. We had promised the boys we would go that day, otherwise the rain probably would have kept Zach and I at home for fairer weather. I guess that's Christmas is the Bay Area for you.


The Boys ran all over the place looking for the perfect tree.


Sam, being silly.

We were pretty quick in deciding, since there were only so many trees in our price range and the boys were running around yelling about which trees they wanted (all of them!) and it was raining after all. So we went ahead and picked out our tree and the very nice man let the boys help out with the tree dolly.


Two very helpful 4-year-olds.

This was a great little lot, though they didn't have one of those tree shaker things that gets rid of all the dead needles stuck in the tree (which even freshly cut trees have), so I ended up raking them all out with my fingers and sucking them up with the vacuum (and then getting the vacuum clogged and having to suck them all up again after I cleaned out the vacuum. *Note-wet fir needles clump like the dickens.) Other than that, they were stellar.

We paid and the man asked where our car was so he could tie our beautiful tree to the top. Zach told him that we had walked and that we were going to use the stroller to take the tree home. He just stared at Zach for a moment and then said, "really?!?" Yep. So we strapped it to the stroller, which held it remarkably well, and the man asked if he could take a picture because no one had ever done that before.

As Zach said later, "Doing crazy things is how you make memories!"


Zach and the boys with our Christmas bounty.

We let the boys play in the mud puddles on the way home, which they loved immensely and showed their appreciation by getting completely wet and muddy.


Holly, Jolly Mud Puddle hopping.

We got the tree home safe and sound and put it up in the stand. After some consideration, we decided to wait until morning to decorate the tree since stringing electric lights on a wet tree had visions of fire hazards dancing in my head. And it was much drier in the morning, so good decision.


The boys attacked decorating the Christmas tree with much fervor and gusto.


This is Sam's Santa Claus costume by the way; a santa hat, his big, red shirt and no pants. He often includes a pillowcase filled with toys as well.


Ben and Sam getting presents to put under the tree. Also, for those interested, a belly shot (31 weeks). Lovely.


As you can see, the idea of spreading the different colors of ornaments throughout the tree is something that the boys have yet to really grasp. There are some who go their who lives without really having a grasp on this concept, but I'm hoping I can still instill it in the boys. I've been moving some of the ornaments around, for both practical and aesthetic reasons since we put it up, but the boys keep moving them again afterwards, so it is something of an exercise in futility.


Ben and Sam after triumphantly decorating their first Christmas tree. How lovely are thy branches indeed, Tannebaum!

Boy Talk

Sam: I'm being Santa, so you need to be an elf.
Ben: But my ears aren't pointy.
Sam: Just pretend they're pointy!

Ben: (making up this song in bed) God is true and he's never gonna not be true!!! He will save me all day loooong!!

Sam: (Talking to himself in the bathroom) Uno! Dos! Tres!
Katie: Sam, are you done?
Sam: No, amigo!

Sam: Mom, do you know where my calendar is?
Ben: Maybe you lost it.
Sam: Don't talk to me about losing!!

Ben: (Singing over and over) Mr. Golden sun won't you shine down on me! Mr. Golden sun won't you shine on me!

Thanksgiving Review

Because my brain is not completely working these days (at least half my physical and mental energy is building a small human cell by cell as we speak) I forgot to bring our camera with us on our trip to Washington. But, trust me, it was awesome. The boys had been praying for snow for a while now, and we had told them that there was a tiny chance that it might snow while we were in Washington for Thanksgiving, so they latched onto that. And prayed with all the faith and fervor a four-year-old could muster.

And it came to pass that the wind changed and brought down some freakin' cold weather from Alaska and totally threw the poor residents for a loop (since they are used to pretty mild winters and not that early anyway). Driving was hard, since they didn't have enough salt for the roads yet, but the boys were absolutely delighted and spent a lot of time outside getting frozen.

We got to spend a lot of time with Zach's family, snuggled up in their house with a fire going and hot chocolate and dogs that like to snuggle under blankets with you (until they are jumped on by playful little boys). And we got to see some movies (Megamind and Tangled). I think the boys will begin to associate the movie theater experience with grandparents, since that's the only time we actually go to the movies. And we ate a huge, scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner at Zach's grandfather's house in the Washington countryside. It was lovely!

So, I'm thankful for snow and prayer and family. And hot chocolate. And fire places. And crossing back over into California, where we didn't need jackets anymore.

Project Girlification - Part 1

We have a lot of baby clothes. I would even say that we have a plethora of baby clothes. After the boys were born I was convinced that we were going to have another set of twins and would rue the day we got rid of any of our doubles of baby things. The number of onsies is pretty ridiculous.


But as you can see from this lovely picture of our little one, my preparations were for naught.

So, we haven't bought too many clothes for this baby girl, because we do have so, so many. I separated out the gender neutral things and now I'm trying to girly up some of the other things. We started by dyeing a batch of blue clothes purple.


Before: Blue Clothes


After: Very purple clothes

I wish I hadn't left them in for so long, but my experience with dyeing in the past has always been to leave them in longer for better color. But, sadly, not this time. I still like the deep purple, it's just a little intense.

I did a second batch, and these spent much less time in the dye. I prefer these. Especially the striped purple onsie on the right. It's awesome.



Below is one of the boy's little jumper. The color is neutral enough, but the blue airplane seemed pretty boyish.



So, I covered it up with a red felt heart. I really, really like it, despite my less than stellar ability to sew straight lines.



The boys have requested that we do a pink batch next. I'm also going to make some little skirts to go over onsies. Dressing girls is a lot of fun, by the way.

Quotes

Ben: Mom! (Calling from upstairs)
Katie: What?
Ben: I need help building the coolest robot ever!!

Ben: (while walking towards the bathroom) Here I come bathroom.

(While I was writing down something funny that he had said on a pad of paper)
Sam: What are you doing? Wasting all the things so I can't draw anymore?

(I had told the boys we couldn't go out and play until all the toys in the hallway were cleaned up. A few minutes later Sam showed me what he had done. There were several "foot steps" carved out of the toys)
Sam: Mom, I'm ready to go and I have a plan. The place where toys are you step in the place where no toys are!

Ben: With the power to do nothing I could do nothing. But with the power to shoot, I can shoot! Boom! Boom! Boom!

a little bedtime reading

I went into the boys room the other night to check on them and found Sam like this:






He just loves learning about the human body. According to Zach, he was trying to get Sam to put the book away before bed, but Sam said, "but Dad, how will I learn which bones are in my hand?" Apparently that logic was just too much for Zach to overcome.

A Halloween Review

Greetings All! Back in September we were rooting around one of our local stores that already had Halloween costumes on display. Days before they had both planned on going as characters from Star Wars (Luke Skywalker and Boba Fett). Then Ben saw a skeleton costume and Sam saw a bee costume. And that was that.


Ben jumping on the couch with wax Dracula teeth in. (Thanks, Mom!)

A few days before Halloween we made ghost shaped cupcakes for a Halloween party the boys wanted to throw. In reality two of my friends just asked me to babysit their kids on the same day, but we seized the opportunity to have a two-part Halloween party. So, we made the cupcakes at part one (which I don't have pictures of).


Ghost shaped (really, I promise) cupcakes with chocolate frosting and Halloween sprinkles.


Above mentioned cupcakes being devoured.

At part two of the event we made a scientist laboratory (which is one of Ben and Sam's favorite games). They were making a potion that would kill people. Pretty horrible, really, but all in the name of science.


Ben, Sam and Lucy working hard on their potion.
(on a side note, Sam says he loves Lucy and wants to marry her. Sadly, she has promised her heart to another boy in the neighborhood. Sam is taking the news like a gentleman and a scholar, by weeping openly when asked about it.)


They had a blast. And then Sam and Lucy dumped their potion all over their little kid plastic chairs. I was really glad about that.

On Halloween we carved our pumpkins. The boys didn't really like the feel of the pumpkin guts (I guess they take after me in that), so I let them use my dish-washing gloves. Zach thought it was silly, but the boys did kinda help after that.


All of them kept pulling out the guts and talking about "their braains!" Sometimes it feels like my life is a perpetual boys scout camp.

We didn't get a picture of the finished pumpkins. Sorry. They were cool.

We got some long, black, thermal underwear for the boys costumes and I sewed felt shapes onto them for the bee stripes and the skeleton bones. Very, very simple. I hope they boys always pick costumes this easy.


Buzzy Buzz and Skelley Skel
Those are the names they gave their costumes. They are so awesome.

We went to a ward chili event (where the boys had corn bread and pumpkin pie) and then had "Trunk or Treating" afterwards. It was completely awesome.

Then we went home and ate candy for several consecutive meals.


The End.

Super Important Items

I haven't had much energy to speak of of late. And I have quite a bit I'd like to get ready before this little girl makes her grand debut. And because of that, I've been using a large portion of my limited brain power to think about what I want my future house to look like. And when I say future I mean, way, way in the future.

Here is a drawing I did the other night of what I think would be a lovely living room. I drew it while Zach and I were watching Dr. Who: The End of Time Part 1 & 2. I had already read the overview on wikipedia, so only a portion of my attention was needed.



Zach says that he likes it, but wonders if he would need to acquire a smoking jacket and a safari hat before he could live there. I say, they would certainly be accepted as long as they weren't being worn at the same time.

As you can see, this was definitely time well managed.

Up next: Project Girlification - Turning Boy clothes into Girl Clothes.

Quotable Quotes

Ben: Dad! I was trying to make my water float in the air and I spilt my water.
Zach: That only works in space, big guy.
Ben: Oh man! I thought it would work on Earth, too!

The boys were playing and Sam came into our room to give my arm a kiss.
Ben: (from the other room) Sam, come on!
Sam: But I just love Mom!
Ben: You have to love all kinds of things! Come on!

Ben: My butt hurts.
Sam: Why did you say butt?
Ben: I don't know.

Ben: Dad, I have a secret I can only tell to boys.
Zach: Oh, okay.
Ben: (in a very loud whisper) Sam ate a candy cane. But don't tell Mom!
Zach: Oh, okay, I won't tell Mom Sam ate a candy cane.
Ben: You promise!?
Zach: Ya, I promise.

Katie: Boys! Get ready. We're gonna go to a music class in a little while.
Sam: But I already know how to sing!

Ben: Mom, are we ever going to Asher's (his cousin in Washington) house again?
Katie: Yes, we're going to go back someday. I don't know when though.
Ben: I think on Thursday.
Katie: Thursday?
Ben: Can you tell me when it's Thursday and we're going to Asher's.

Sam: Mom, I forgot how many babies are in your tummy.
Katie: Just one. Is that a good number of babies?
Sam: Yes. If we had two babies it would drive me crazy!

So....

You may be wondering where we've been all summer. We've been here. But we've been busy. The boys have been busy running around and terrorizing each other. And Zach has been busy studying and running. And I've been busy being sick, tired and scheduling doctor's appointments. And in February, when we add a new little baby girl to this crazy family, we'll all be even busier. It's all pretty exciting and exhausting.

So, there hasn't been much going on really, because I've been too tired to even get up off the couch, let alone take pictures, let alone do anything worth taking pictures of. I still have those old posts from June that I'm really, genuinely planning on putting on here. I just haven't really gotten to it yet.

And that's pretty much it.

Alive - and conversations

Ben: (in bed) Sam, are you asleep? Because I was talking and saying things to you and you didn't answer, so are you asleep? (pause) You're asleep!!

In the midst of some elaborate imaginative play Sam knelt down and said
Sam: Heavenly Father - Can you please help me so the world won't explode? Please!? Jesus? Please!? (and then after a few more minutes playing) Can you please help me so I don't die neither? - Or my brother?

While playing together
Ben: I need to use the bathroom! (runs to the bathroom)
Sam: Do you need to poop or pee?
Ben: Pee, so it won't take very long.

Ben: Mom, I thought I was gonna grow brown hair.
Me: Oh, really? What color hair do you have?
Ben: Golden. I didn't want golden hair, I wanted brown hair!

Zach recorded the following conversation and sent it to me
I heard Sam crying and saw Ben glowering. Sam said, "Ben slammed my eye." It looked red and a little puffy. Ben said, "Sam hit me first." I said, "Time out for both of you." After trying to explain to Ben that hurting people who hurt us first isn't good, I asked Sam if he hurt Ben first. Sam said, through his tears, "We were trying to see who was the toughest." I left the room before laughing.

Michael & Stephanie: a Wedding

The whole reason that we went on this trip was to see Stephanie and Michael get hitched. And I left my camera in the car. Like, every time. Very frustrating. So, I've stolen these photos from other people's facebook accounts (Thanks, Amy!). Hopefully, I'll get a bunch more and add them on here later.

It was an absolutely gorgeous day, by the way. Pretty much perfect weather. And Stephanie and Michael are just so darned cute! It could get pretty disgusting, at times, but we still love them.


Our Clan

We teased them a lot about how cute they were and how they wouldn't always be like that. But the truth is, even though Zach and I aren't in that gooey eyed, lovestruck, newlywed stage anymore (hello fifth anniversary!) I wouldn't want to go back to that stage. It's great when you're in it and you should enjoy every minute, but I've loved the last several years too much to take all that away.

Anyway, mushiness aside, they were great. And the wedding was lovely. And Zach's family cried. A lot. They are big criers. And Michael had a tissue ready in his pocket for Stephanie when she had left her's behind. I think that's a good sign.



Our Clan again



Sam (looking like Gene Kelley, I think) and Amy youngest Connor jumping around at the Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Thanks for getting married, you guys. We really enjoyed seeing you guys in your magic moment and eating all that food.

We're Back

Awesome trips of weddings, camping, and really, really dirty boys to follow soon.

Talk

A picture Ben took of Sam

This was after the Zach had put the boys back into bed at night.
Sam: Daddy ruined my life!

Sam: Mommy, now can you get me some cereal?
Katie: Sure. Ask Daddy.
Sam: No, you.
Katie: Why me?
Sam: Because you get cereal very well.

While I was putting on liquid blush in the bathroom
Ben: What's in there?
Katie: Blush. It makes me look cute. Does this look cute?
Ben: I think you need more.
(After rubbing it in)
Katie: There, does that look cute?
Ben: Ummmmmmmm... It looks familiar, but not cute.

Sam's Primary teacher told us this story. Apparently they were in the middle of class when Sam put his hands up and said:
Sam: Everybody stop! I need to sing a song!
He then proceeded to sing the Veggie Tales song from "The Big Wall" movie.

After Sam got to the top of the stairs first
Sam: I won!
Ben: Oh, come on, Sam! This really isn't a race.

Ben: Girl, I mean Lady, my name is Spiderman and that guy down there (Sam) is Venom.
Katie: I see. Did you finish your pizza?
Ben: Ya, but Spidermans don't like the crusts. That's why it's still on the plate.

While going through their play food
Ben: What's this?
Katie: It's a head of lettuce.
Ben: (holding up toy celery) Is this an arm of lettuce?

Sam: Can I eat this apple now?
Katie: That's a really big apple. Why don't you split it with Ben. Ask him if he wants half.
Sam: Ben, do you want... a plum!?
Ben: Ya, I do!
Sam: Ben wants a plum, Mom.

After Sam wouldn't let Ben have the toy he was playing with
Ben: Mom, why can't you ever get what you want?!!

Easy Peasy Numbers

I've been feeling the urge to "finish" our house. It is sometimes like we're in limbo between undergrad-dom and being real people when it comes to our home. And maturity levels.

On an obscurely related note, the boys have been very interested in letters and numbers lately. I hung those name banners over their beds and now they can both (very slowly) spell out their names.

So, I came up with this idea to put some numbers into their room. The whole project took about two hours from start to finish with several interruptions. And this was the result.



The frame was from the As-Is department at Ikea for $2.50. The numbers are all freehanded out of pages torn from magazines and the like. The background is the piece of paper that comes with the frame turned around to the white side. Wicked simple.



The white frames next to it are also originally from As-is, but a long time ago. I'm thinking of painting them, but we'll see when/if that happens. It definitely makes the room look like we didn't move in by accident.




The boys love it. Especially the popcorn bag 8.

Carnival Time

It's that time of year again, folks. That's right, time for our neighborhood carnival.

We started with the pony rides, because you have to wait in line forever, no matter what. Ben and Sam managed to not go completely insane with a strange brew of boredom and anticipation. Then when we got up there Ben got upset because he wanted to ride the pony that Sam was riding. So, he sat out a turn and rode him after Sam got off.


Sam had this look on his face the whole time. The volunteer thought he was hilarious.



Ben (finally) on his white steed.

We actually didn't make it to a lot of the other events at the carnival because once the boys had these snow cones (pictured below), that's really all they cared about.


Sam with Blue Raspberry and Ben with Grape.

At one point we were in line for face painting, but Sam said he would rather just go and wait in the cotton candy line. So, we went.


Zach and the boys loving the magic that is cotton candy.

They did go and watch the little show the guy puts on, but I (very sadly) had to serve snow cones rather than watch it. Domage. But, all in all, it was a great day. Just a little freezing. What's the deal with this spring, California. Get with the program!

Sorry, small outburst there. The carnival was fun.

Father/Son Camp Out

Zach and the boys went on their first ever father/son camp out this past weekend. They had a good time. Ben and Sam said that their favorite part was building the fire and smores.


(Sam and Ben are being Buzz Lightyears and saying "to infinity and beyond!" Sam did not wear the baby Mikey ears to the campout, but he had been wearing them around all day.)



Sam and Ben Smiles



In the morning (apparently they were all freezing)


I celebrated the event by working on a sewing project, watching a movie on Netflix that I knew Zach didn't want to see, and booby trapping the doors before going to sleep.

keep talking

While attempting to convince Sam that it was time to send the Netflix movie he loved so much back
Sam: No! Don't send it back. Then the mailman will say, "oh, yay, I don't have to take any mail today!" and then'll he'll jump up and down.

Ben: Daddy, why do dogs have names?

Playing with two toy frogs they got out of a pinata
Ben: This is a girl frog and this is a boy frog.
Sam: Are they gonna drop in love?
Ben: Of course!

Me: What do you want for your birthday?
Ben: Brown chocolate and white chocolate.
Me: Nothing else? No books or toys or things?
Ben: Nope. Just a bag full of chocolates.

While looking for the coat that Ben requested to wear outside
Me: Why do you boys have so many coats and jackets?!
Ben: For snow and rain, of course!

(By the way, "of course!" is one of Ben's favorite phrases. Loves it)

if I were a rich (wo)man

...Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum...

Or not even rich, but financially sound enough that I felt comfortable saving up for something fairly extravagant. Or buying something slightly luxurious on a regular basis. Like Irish butter.

There are lots of good, healthy, stout, English feeling things that are good about being... not rich. Like learning to budget things out, being creative with your meager funds, and some other third thing.

But there are times when I just float away thinking of luxury. The following is a result of such flotations. Enjoy.

A really glorious bicycle



I love biking so much. (Not cycling, mind you. I hear there is a difference between my slow meandering and what they do). And there are so many beautiful bikes out there. One of my dreams is to live in the pseudo-country and bike into town to do my errands. I love it.

Rieme Sparkling Limonade



Have you tried this? It's amazing. It's sweet and tart, but in a subtle, hinting, very French kind of way. It's too expensive for us to get on anything like a regular basis, but we've tried it on sale. I want a special mini-refrigerator designated to these some day.

Flowers




Having cut flowers around the house is one of my favorite things. I makes me want to elevate an ordinary day into something magical.

This Chair



Or more likely something like it. I want to have a library someday where I can send Zach and all his books. And this chair would be perfect there. In my imaginary library, that is. Zach would probably rather have a recliner though.

Frye Shoes



This one is a little strange. I've never even tried on a pair of these shoes. And I don't even like half of their designs. But the other half... I can't really explain it, but I have developed a slightly unhealthy obsession with these shoes. And boots. Let's not forget them. Someday... sigh...



I'll wrap this up before Zach's prediction about a super long post about "things I can't afford" comes to pass.

Photo Frenzy

Last week I borrowed a digital SLR camera from my friend Christina (Thanks again!) for a writing application I was filling out where I needed to take some pictures. I haven't heard anything back, and don't really plan to, but I did manage to take about two hundred photos in the course of the afternoon. A dozen were awesome. Here are a few of those, and some that I just like.


This was the banner I did the tutorial for. Extremely simple. Sam loves it. They been really interested in letters lately. I've since made one for Benjamin as well.


Ben, sticking his little tongue out at me. Where do kids learn this? I'm sure three-year-olds in the Amazon jungle stick their tongues out at people. Why?



I love this picture. He was just walking up to me and I kept holding down the button. Six blah pictures to get this one. Lovely. And why digital is the way to go for childhood photography, in my opinion.



Here are the sound effects to go along with this picture: "Brrrrrrrr! ZZZzzzrrrrrrrroooooooommmmmm! Screeeeeeech! Oh, no! Rrrrrrrooogggggggggmmmmmmm! Haha! I win! I won again!" Sam was racing around all afternoon on this trike and loving life.


Sam, quietly contemplating the magic of wheels and the power they bestow on him. Like so many men before him.



Sam, as he makes another attempt at standing on the seat of the tricycle. The last time he fell off, in a glorious failure. This is the time he succeeded. I applauded and then told him to get down and not get hurt. I am Mom, after all.



Ben, concentrating all his energy on drawing. He is quite the prolific sidewalk drawer. It's a very kinetic experience for him. He's all over the place.



Ben narrates the story as he draws, whether anyone is listening or not. If I ask him afterwards about the drawing the story is usually the same, but with some edits.


So, what do you think? Save up for a SLR camera? I think so. We'll be accepting donations. Thank you for your support.