Hey Malia can I come hiking with you?
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
NYC w/the Cubba's
Thanks Chelsea and Chris for making me a part of your Manhattan life!!! Here a a few of our highlights. Although the funniest part of the trip was all 3 of us in a tiny rick-shaw with a tiny man pulling us! (I have to get that pic from you.) We had a blast:) Thanks Chris for your best shoot at talking the Doughnut Plant into letting me make a few doughnuts, you tried. You were the best personal tour guide and on top of all the directions we needed! Thanks Chelsea for bringing us to the doughnut plant...way amazing jelly doughnuts! Also for loving the Phantom as much as I do, you know what I mean! Where to next!!!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Dinner w/Malcolm's Family
Have you ever seen Malcolm in the Middle, a tv show? Well if you have and you have seen them eat dinner then you will be able to picture what I am about to write.
There are dinners in this family that I wonder if we will slowly turning into Malcolm's who can burp the loudest, talk the loudest, throw dinner into your brother's mouth the farthest! (It is time to crack down!) Last night was one of those times. I felt like Lois just sitting there quietly trying to eat a peaceful dinner (because I 'm starving) amidst constant outburst from my wild little boys.
Allow me to set the stage for such dinners. For those of you who are saying really not them they are so well behaved when we see them. Or really Michelle they should know their manners by now.
First - Dad has a late meeting which means he will not be home in time to eat with us = bad!
Second - I have just spent the last hour making them one of their favorite soups = good they will gobble it up.
Third - My body is used to shutting down by the time dinner rolls around and Dad walks in the door to take over discipline duty = really bad!
Fourth - the boys have become great friends = good! Except when you want them to sit quietly and eat, only one has to act up a little and the whole crew follows. It's like I want to yell "stop getting along and having fun with each other and be quite!!!" Which I can't do because I will undo all the other time I spend teaching them to get along and be "good brothers".
Fifth - I am HUNGRY!
Dinner - Everyone is in their seats hungry and so excited mom has made potato chowder a family favorite. Cheers coming from the table "yeah chowder...yeah I'm hungry...yeah". I am thinking I just have to serve it and they will return my hard work with quite full mouths and a little thank you as they clear their own plates to the counter...right, this is what I have taught them to do (insert pat on the shoulder). The boys get their chowder, I sit, we pray and they begin to eat. One bite in - silence. Second bite in - is where it all breaks down. Taatjes - slams his hand onto the table; "I can slam my hand harder than yours". I sit quietly thinking one round and it will pass no need to get all parental, take a break and eat. Trey - slam! Teague - slam. Taatjes again - slam. Trey again - slam. Teague again - slam. "Ah ha ah ha ah ha!!!" All 3 - slam, slam, slam. Mom calmly saying "enough". "Ok" from the 3 of them. Trey; "I can eat faster than you". Taatjes; "no you can't I can". Teague plunges in to prove he will eat faster. Taatjes is now chocking because he has tried to swallow so many bites with out taking any breaths in between them and has now had to attempt the full mouth breath resulting in chowder to the lungs! Trey and Teague laughing because they think he is playing around. Mom telling him to calm down take a drink and patting him on the back a little. Also informing his brothers that this is not laughing matter and they are not helping, please stop. Trey (who hates conflict - wonder where he gets that) hides in his arms which are placed around his bowl. Teague who copies everything that Trey does places his head in his arms directly around his bowl. Taatjes now recovered thinks they are hiding from him, places his head in his arms, around his bowl, begins laughing and saying, "you can't see me". Again all 3 join in the laughter of "you can't see me, ha ha ha"! Mom now begins to say more firmly, since she sees the potential in this to end badly, "stop and pick your heads up this is not play time it is dinner". They do not listen they are laughing to much. Again with a slightly deeper tone and a bit more short tempered, "stop it get up now and eat the correct way." 2 manage to sit up 1 remains and is still laughing while he hides. Until he tips his bowl of soup straight into his face and all over the table!!! The ha ha's have turned into the bo ho's of crying with soup all over his face. I do feel for him a bit. All I do is sit there and hand his some paper towels and tell him to clean himself up and the table and add a little I warned you this would not end well. (Ok obviously I helped him he can't actually clean the mess up well enough by himself, but, he did have to do most of it) Really to be honest I had no sympathy for him. I kept thinking I told you so! I know this is so childish of me. But really, all I wanted was a quick QUITE dinner and I was forced to keep parenting and I hate when I have to remind myself that nobody said parenting was going to be easy so buck up and get control of your family! You can't wait until you are having dinners like Malcolm's family!!!
Hey Lisa do you feel me on this one, or, should I put the mother of the year award in the mail right now for you:)
There are dinners in this family that I wonder if we will slowly turning into Malcolm's who can burp the loudest, talk the loudest, throw dinner into your brother's mouth the farthest! (It is time to crack down!) Last night was one of those times. I felt like Lois just sitting there quietly trying to eat a peaceful dinner (because I 'm starving) amidst constant outburst from my wild little boys.
Allow me to set the stage for such dinners. For those of you who are saying really not them they are so well behaved when we see them. Or really Michelle they should know their manners by now.
First - Dad has a late meeting which means he will not be home in time to eat with us = bad!
Second - I have just spent the last hour making them one of their favorite soups = good they will gobble it up.
Third - My body is used to shutting down by the time dinner rolls around and Dad walks in the door to take over discipline duty = really bad!
Fourth - the boys have become great friends = good! Except when you want them to sit quietly and eat, only one has to act up a little and the whole crew follows. It's like I want to yell "stop getting along and having fun with each other and be quite!!!" Which I can't do because I will undo all the other time I spend teaching them to get along and be "good brothers".
Fifth - I am HUNGRY!
Dinner - Everyone is in their seats hungry and so excited mom has made potato chowder a family favorite. Cheers coming from the table "yeah chowder...yeah I'm hungry...yeah". I am thinking I just have to serve it and they will return my hard work with quite full mouths and a little thank you as they clear their own plates to the counter...right, this is what I have taught them to do (insert pat on the shoulder). The boys get their chowder, I sit, we pray and they begin to eat. One bite in - silence. Second bite in - is where it all breaks down. Taatjes - slams his hand onto the table; "I can slam my hand harder than yours". I sit quietly thinking one round and it will pass no need to get all parental, take a break and eat. Trey - slam! Teague - slam. Taatjes again - slam. Trey again - slam. Teague again - slam. "Ah ha ah ha ah ha!!!" All 3 - slam, slam, slam. Mom calmly saying "enough". "Ok" from the 3 of them. Trey; "I can eat faster than you". Taatjes; "no you can't I can". Teague plunges in to prove he will eat faster. Taatjes is now chocking because he has tried to swallow so many bites with out taking any breaths in between them and has now had to attempt the full mouth breath resulting in chowder to the lungs! Trey and Teague laughing because they think he is playing around. Mom telling him to calm down take a drink and patting him on the back a little. Also informing his brothers that this is not laughing matter and they are not helping, please stop. Trey (who hates conflict - wonder where he gets that) hides in his arms which are placed around his bowl. Teague who copies everything that Trey does places his head in his arms directly around his bowl. Taatjes now recovered thinks they are hiding from him, places his head in his arms, around his bowl, begins laughing and saying, "you can't see me". Again all 3 join in the laughter of "you can't see me, ha ha ha"! Mom now begins to say more firmly, since she sees the potential in this to end badly, "stop and pick your heads up this is not play time it is dinner". They do not listen they are laughing to much. Again with a slightly deeper tone and a bit more short tempered, "stop it get up now and eat the correct way." 2 manage to sit up 1 remains and is still laughing while he hides. Until he tips his bowl of soup straight into his face and all over the table!!! The ha ha's have turned into the bo ho's of crying with soup all over his face. I do feel for him a bit. All I do is sit there and hand his some paper towels and tell him to clean himself up and the table and add a little I warned you this would not end well. (Ok obviously I helped him he can't actually clean the mess up well enough by himself, but, he did have to do most of it) Really to be honest I had no sympathy for him. I kept thinking I told you so! I know this is so childish of me. But really, all I wanted was a quick QUITE dinner and I was forced to keep parenting and I hate when I have to remind myself that nobody said parenting was going to be easy so buck up and get control of your family! You can't wait until you are having dinners like Malcolm's family!!!
Hey Lisa do you feel me on this one, or, should I put the mother of the year award in the mail right now for you:)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
More Soccer Mom Photos
Nanna B the middle one is your Hi-5. It happened so fast I didn't get the best shot:(
I am constantly between taking pics and pulling Taatjes and Teague off the soccer field. We play so much at home that they assume they are also on the team. The first one is Teague dribbling an extra ball out onto the field before I snagged him. They only have 2 more games left. So sad.
Nanna B's Visit
To bad I didn't get any pics of your Wii boxing match!!!
Friday, October 10, 2008
The return of the spitting cobra...
He is back!
Had to share this spitting cobra moment.
The boys and I were playing animals, a favorite. Trey - cheetah, Teague - zebra, Mom - lion, and Taatjesa - cobra. Play, play, play...Ahh it's a cobra attack on the mountain! The cobra (Taatjes) attacks the lion out of no where. Cobra/Taatjes - "ahh I spit venom in your eyes. Your dead and you can't see!"
I was trying to take the death of my lion seriously bad had trouble controlling my laughter. I love it, "your dead! and you can't see!" too funny.
Had to share this spitting cobra moment.
The boys and I were playing animals, a favorite. Trey - cheetah, Teague - zebra, Mom - lion, and Taatjesa - cobra. Play, play, play...Ahh it's a cobra attack on the mountain! The cobra (Taatjes) attacks the lion out of no where. Cobra/Taatjes - "ahh I spit venom in your eyes. Your dead and you can't see!"
I was trying to take the death of my lion seriously bad had trouble controlling my laughter. I love it, "your dead! and you can't see!" too funny.
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Celebrating Alyssa and Ian
Monday, September 22, 2008
"Hail, Hail to Michigan..."
Justin painted a football field in our back yard! Of course his home team Michigan! The boys are loving it. That is the first thing they want to do when they wake up and we have to force them in at night crying. Tonight are family is in the "Rose Bowl"! Team Michigan (Trey and Taatjes) vs another college team of their choice. (Usually Ohio State or Notre Dame) Dad, mom, and Teague on the other team. Right now they are outside coming up with their plays for the game:) May the best man win. Most likely dad, mom, and Teague. We have to give Teague something over his brothers!!!Monday, September 15, 2008
While Mom's Away the Boys Will Play
Mud Bath! Dad knows what makes his boys truly happy:) What better to do with 3 days of non-stop rain and mud pits all over the back yard?!? I was not home for this outing and did not even know it occurred until I saw the pictures. Yes, he knew to have them all cleaned up and dirty clothes in the washer :)Treys very little mud on the face - translation - I am up for anything but I proceed w/caution!
Taatjes mud all over the face - translation - let me at it!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Head Ball
Taatjes insists on wearing his helmet, ok??? Trey sporting a little Aundre 3000 look, why?!?
So our house is a little soccer obsessed. With the start of a new season for Trey all 3 boys are constantly playing soccer! So here are a few pics of us practicing our head balls:) Justin says I look rediculous doing a head ball. But come on, except for my mouth being a little open, we look the same - right?
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
Monkey/ Firercracker/ Shark
These are the many nicknames we have for Taatjes.
Monkey was given to him as a baby. Unlike his brother he always wanted to be held facing inward. He would wrap his arms and legs around your waist, plop his thumb in his mouth, and lay his head against your chest. With his red hair and all we always thought he looked like a little baby orangutan clinging on to his mom:) Thus he became our little monkey.
Firecracker has been given to him by his dad during this his 3 year old years. Taatjes has been an unbelievably laid back boy. He still is to a point. But he can only hold out for so long, and let someone push him for so long, and not get what he wants for so long, until snap - firecracker explosion. His wick is long but when it reaches its end it explodes with fury! Good luck settling him down in any controlled manor. Thus he is also our little firecracker.
Shark is a recent nickname. This summer Taatjes has been learning to swim faster than his older brother. He careens through the water with reckless abandon not caring were he is or how deep the water is getting or where mom or dad might be, he just has to keep swimming!!! Since he loved swimming so much and the pool was closing for the summer we signed him up for indoor swim lessons. He started them this past Saturday. He was thrilled that dad was taking him and dad has built up these lessons so big in his mind telling him he is a shark on the shark swim team -super cute to here him tell other people:) In true shark/Taatjes form here is a little insight into the wiring of our Taatjes. First off Taatjes is the smallest kid in a class of older, taller kids. Second he thinks he is a shark on a swim team. Third he never stops his movement in water. For this first lesson the instructors try to find out the kids comfort levels in water and how well they already swim. So they begin with some of the older kids asking them to place their faces under the water to see their response. One after the other these kids are reluctant to even place their face in the water let alone under it. Here comes Taatjes turn...Taatjes can you place your face in the water? Jump, splash. dive, he's off! Fully submerged headed off with the speed a shark after its prey! Wait Taatjes come back that's good enough! Everyone laughed as this the littlest boy took off without an ounce of caution. (Now this is nothing against a cautious child since his brother Trey would have joined the other kids with a modest face water submersion.) It is just so Taatjes our "shark"!
Monkey was given to him as a baby. Unlike his brother he always wanted to be held facing inward. He would wrap his arms and legs around your waist, plop his thumb in his mouth, and lay his head against your chest. With his red hair and all we always thought he looked like a little baby orangutan clinging on to his mom:) Thus he became our little monkey.
Firecracker has been given to him by his dad during this his 3 year old years. Taatjes has been an unbelievably laid back boy. He still is to a point. But he can only hold out for so long, and let someone push him for so long, and not get what he wants for so long, until snap - firecracker explosion. His wick is long but when it reaches its end it explodes with fury! Good luck settling him down in any controlled manor. Thus he is also our little firecracker.
Shark is a recent nickname. This summer Taatjes has been learning to swim faster than his older brother. He careens through the water with reckless abandon not caring were he is or how deep the water is getting or where mom or dad might be, he just has to keep swimming!!! Since he loved swimming so much and the pool was closing for the summer we signed him up for indoor swim lessons. He started them this past Saturday. He was thrilled that dad was taking him and dad has built up these lessons so big in his mind telling him he is a shark on the shark swim team -super cute to here him tell other people:) In true shark/Taatjes form here is a little insight into the wiring of our Taatjes. First off Taatjes is the smallest kid in a class of older, taller kids. Second he thinks he is a shark on a swim team. Third he never stops his movement in water. For this first lesson the instructors try to find out the kids comfort levels in water and how well they already swim. So they begin with some of the older kids asking them to place their faces under the water to see their response. One after the other these kids are reluctant to even place their face in the water let alone under it. Here comes Taatjes turn...Taatjes can you place your face in the water? Jump, splash. dive, he's off! Fully submerged headed off with the speed a shark after its prey! Wait Taatjes come back that's good enough! Everyone laughed as this the littlest boy took off without an ounce of caution. (Now this is nothing against a cautious child since his brother Trey would have joined the other kids with a modest face water submersion.) It is just so Taatjes our "shark"!
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Kindergarten and Preschool
And their off... Both Trey and Taatjes started school this week! Trey is in kindergarten and just thrilled to be going to school w/older kids and a few friends from his soccer team. He walked right in said hi to his friends and didn't look back once!:( I just gave him a high-5 and that was all he needed to leave us. Taatjes has started preschool this year. That boy has been waiting a whole year to go to school. He was the first in line and ran right in to his room! He didn't even want a hug, high-5, nada. Finally his day has come and he will be bringing home papers and crafts and singing new songs just like his big brother. You couldn't wipe that smile off will a million time-outs, he is ecstatic about school! Both boys have great teachers and we are all looking forward to a year of learning and growth.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Last 08 Summer Swim
The neighborhood pool was the hit of the summer. We spent nearly every afternoon jumping, sliding, and crocodile wading in it! Daddy came from work on Friday to surprise us and take some pics for me. It was our official good bye to summer:(
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Oh Mom Guess What...
"What"???
Trey: "I have hair under my arms! Want to see?"
Mom: "Yes of course, how cool!"
Trey: "I asked dad when I would get hair under my arms and he said not until high school; but he was wrong!!! I have hair right now under my arms look! See that hair is starting to grow."
In moms head: "yes that tiny tiny blond hair that you have all over your body is also under your arms...too cute."
Mom: "Well look at that. You will have to show your dad."
Trey: (In the manliest voice he has) "Yup he was wrong."
Not only is Trey thinking how cool it is that he has hair under his arms; he is loving the idea that his dad gave him the wrong information and for once he has something up on him (in his mind although his dad is so right).
Even though I told him every kid has some hair under his arm he is convinced it is the beginning of his manly hair. Well I guess we will have to leave it to his peers to break him down in this arena of life:)
Trey: "I have hair under my arms! Want to see?"
Mom: "Yes of course, how cool!"
Trey: "I asked dad when I would get hair under my arms and he said not until high school; but he was wrong!!! I have hair right now under my arms look! See that hair is starting to grow."
In moms head: "yes that tiny tiny blond hair that you have all over your body is also under your arms...too cute."
Mom: "Well look at that. You will have to show your dad."
Trey: (In the manliest voice he has) "Yup he was wrong."
Not only is Trey thinking how cool it is that he has hair under his arms; he is loving the idea that his dad gave him the wrong information and for once he has something up on him (in his mind although his dad is so right).
Even though I told him every kid has some hair under his arm he is convinced it is the beginning of his manly hair. Well I guess we will have to leave it to his peers to break him down in this arena of life:)
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Fishing w/ Dad
Teague had daddy all to himself this past weekend, oh yeah! The other 2 spent the weekend at Camp nana B's (thank you very much they had a blast). As for me, well I had to have a lovely little vien removal surgery in my right leg - painful and still not walking around. So Teague truely had his dad's undivided attention for 3 days. Dad was thrilled to have time alone with Teague and of course took him for his first fishing experience. Teague worked that reel like a real fisherman and caught a number of big fish. Take a look...
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