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.

Jonathan and Jenna: A Wedding

My little brother got married a couple of weeks ago. I know, it's crazy. He married an awesome girl from Maine. And they are so adorable, even Ben and Sam think so.


The Fam in Transit from Ceremony to Reception

We got to spend a few days in Utah at my sister's house before the wedding and spent some time with the family. Almost my entire family was in their house. It was crazy, awesome fun and very, very, very nice of them to put us all up. Oh, and Carina, somehow we ended up with two of Jackson's toy cars. I don't know how. We'll bring them back. I promise.

We also realized that we have become California drivers who have no patience for Utah drivers. I didn't expect that, but Zach and I were both grieved at the atrociousness of some of the drivers. I don't really know why this is, but it is.



Jenna and Jonathan

I also remembered that being a family member at the wedding is a lot different from getting married yourself, which I had forgotten, since ours was the last wedding we attended. I think it's more overall enjoyable, though not nearly as exciting.


We managed to grab to boys just long enough to take this picture and then they dashed off again.



Ben resting in a nook of the SLC temple



Sam resting in a cranny of the SLC temple






H.R.H. Riley (my niece), who is all things adorable.



The reception was at the Lion House and the boys were actually quite good, as long as they had ice in their glasses to fish out and eat.

Ben and Sam have been obsessed with temples and marriage and weddings since this. Sam has declared that he is going to love one girl when he grows up and that he currently loves the local heartthrob named Lucy. Ben says he is going to love five girls.

This is how the boys summed up the wedding for me the other day:

Ben: Jonathan and Jenna got married at the Salt Lake temple. And everyone clapped. But I didn't clap.
Sam: But I did. Then I stopped.
Ben: And Jenna had a white dress and she looked beautiful. And Jay had a black shirt and he looked beautiful.
Sam: Ya, and Jay had a black shirt and he looked goofy!




It was lovely.