Monday, July 22, 2013

What are my friends' names?

I know, I know it's been ages since I last posted.  I should be thrown into the streets and flogged for insubordination.  I'd like to think that getting a new job, selling a house, buying a new one, traveling 1500 miles away and then moving into the new house would be enough of a valid excuse, but I know how you people are, so I won't even mention it as it won't do me any good.

We made it to the Dallas Texas area (McKinney to be exact).  Long drives, flights, storage units, and moving trucks were all involved, but we made it.  Michelle posted a few pictures to wet your appetite but I assure you more will be coming.

In the mean time, it's fallen on me to provide a few stories for your reading enjoyment---I hope you like them.

Before moving one night, we had dinner ready and had Blake go tell James that dinner was ready so he could come join us.  As James tells the story here's how it goes.......Blake knocks on the door and asks if he can come in.  Permission is granted and Blake pushes the door open.  He tells James that it's dinner time so he needs to come down stairs to eat.  James tells Blake that he isn't going to eat with us that day.  Blake asks why and James defects the question.  Blake looks at James and walking closer to James says, " James, James, you can tell me.  I'm your friend.  I can help."    Future psychiatrist or consultant? You be the judge.  

We had been preparing Blake for the move, telling him that we were going to be packing up all our stuff and boxing it up, that he won't be seeing his friends and family as much and that he'll need to say goodbye over the next few weeks.  These conversations happened every few days or so, just to make sure he understood and was prepared.  During one such conversation, Michelle tried to lessen the blow of the move by saying that he'll have to say goodbye to his friends in California, but that it'll be okay as he'll find new friends in Texas.  He looks at Michelle and taps his finger to his chin as he thinks and then looks Michelle in the eyes and asks, "Oh okay, well then what are the new friends' names?"  I guess he wanted to get a head start on friendship developing.

Michelle parents returned from their mission to Ohio.  Blake was helping Grandpa with some stuff around the house and Grandpa asked Blake "So, Blake when you're gone and in Texas who's going to help me with all these projects around the house?"  Blake pulled him aside looked up at him and said, "Grandpa, sit down."  while patting the step right beside him, "Let me tell you the plan."  He proceeded to detail out three possible plans that Grandpa could do in order to get all his projects done while Blake was in Texas. Apparently, we "tell Blake the plan" a lot.

Lately, we've been asking Blake a lot of questions.  It seems that he doesn't want to get the "wrong" answer to these questions as he has now begun responding to our questions with, "you tell me and then I'll guess."  For example, I'll come home from work and ask Blake what he did that day.  He'll respond with "hmmm, well Dad you tell me and then I'll guess."  Not sure we're really getting anywhere with that.  Or I'll ask him what he wants for dinner and on occasion he'll respond with....yep you guessed it, "you tell me and then I'll guess."  Maybe we should add politician to that list of possible future occupations for him.

Last week Dylan began a new "trick".  At dinner we were asking who wanted what type of food and those who wanted it would raise their hands.  Well, Dylan wasn't responding to these questions as we went throughout dinner.  However, once dinner was done and we were thinking about dessert, Michelle asked the group, okay who wants ice cream and immediately Dylan's hand shoot up and he called out "ME!".  Apparently you just have to ask the right question.

Blake has taken to running around the house with a new catch phrase every few weeks or so.  Currently, he has picked up a new one that I find very humorous.  He'll run down the stairs or come in from outside and tell me that I need to look at something or we need to go get something to play with and as he dashes off down the hall or up the stairs he shouts, "Quick there's no time to loose. "  Oh, to have the problems of a 4 year old again.  

Finally, my stories end this time with a heart wrenching story about tragedy and loss of innocence.  Last night while Michelle was giving the boys a bath, Dylan tooted in the bath tub.  Bubbles arose with a sound like a trumpet accompanying them.  It was quite unexpected as these things can be.  But before Michelle could say anything Dylan raises his hand and then says "ME!".  Can't believe he's already "a boy".  

Sunday, July 14, 2013

We've Moved

The reason I have been a slacker with updating our blog is because we moved to Texas.

Blake was super excited to see Aaron again....well, we all were. Aaron came out 2 1/2 weeks before we did so that he could start his new job. It was great fun packing up the house and moving without Aaron, but we survived.

Someday I will post more, but for now, we are enjoying our new pool in this 100 plus degree crazy weather.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day! Friday night Aaron took Blake and they went with Grandpa, my brother David, and his kids, Seth and Kaleb...along with the rest of our ward to a Fathers/Sons Campout. My mom watched Dylan after I put him down for the night so I could go shopping. It was great to go shopping all by myself. Blake with perhaps a lot of help from Aaron made a frame for my mother's day present from the boys.

Blake took a picture of us.

All the mom's in the family came over for a celebration. After the moms opened some gifts, Blake got to open some more birthday presents from his aunts and uncles. Thanks everyone for a great day!

Ziggy Wanna Be?

The other night we said our family prayer and at the end we heard a little boy laughing, we open end the prayer, open our eyes and see this. Dylan is taking fashion tips from Ziggy (if you don't know who Ziggy is then you don't follow BYU football). He likes to walk around with 3D glasses. These are the 3D glasses that we got at a theater that weren't recycled apparently.

He tries to say glasses, but it sounds more like lalas.

The boys are ready for bed.

Dylan slept with his glasses that night. It made him happy.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Brayden's Birthday Party

Blake and Dylan were invited to their friend, Brayden's, 5th birthday party.

Blake's favorite thing was to go down the big slide.

He also loved running around the jousting ring.

Dylan really liked the slide and basketball.
Blake liked knocking down the towers that the adults were making.
And what little boy wouldn't love being able to shoot balls at other kids.

At the end, the kids all got to eat some yummy food. Happy birthday Brayden! Thanks for the fun party.

18 Months

18 months old is a glorious age because it means they are able to go to nursery at church, which means they are in their own class, which means Aaron and I can enjoy our classes without the "help" of kids. 

We took a trip to the doctor yesterday for Dylan's 18 month check up and Blake's 4 year check up. 

Dylan:
28 lbs. 6 oz...85th percentile
35.5 inches...off the charts
19 cm (head size)...75th percentile

Blake:
40 lbs 8 oz....80th percentile
44 inches...97th percentile

Dr. Chu's remarks after he told me the stats, "You produce tall kids." They are both doing well physically. Dylan goes in for his next round of tests in a couple weeks.

Dylan now says nice, bee (which means boo), baby, uh-oh, and I do it (although I think it isn't super clear). He is well past the 5 words, plus mom and dad that he is supposed to say by age 18 months. 

Blake loves to run...I have no idea where he gets this from. He is very creative and loves legos. Both the kids get extremely grouchy when they are hungry and that happens every couple hours. They are both good helpers and slowly becoming more useful and effective in helping. They still make one another laugh and still fight. I know that Blake only has a couple years before Dylan can dominate Blake. Dylan is very strong and aggressive.

Saturday, April 20, 2013

EnterTrainment Junction

On Monday, we went to EnterTrainment Junction to celebrate Blake's birthday.

They have the world's largest model train display. It was huge. Dylan really enjoyed the trains.

They also had an area that was just for kids.

Grandpa got a shirt for Dylan so they could match.

Blake got to ride on a train.

Then we got to play with some train tables.

There was a train that you could shovel coal in.

And a play area.

The Birthday Boy had fun. 

The next day we returned home...yes, the day that American Airlines had a computer system outage. What?! It was terrible. The kids weren't feeling good, their bodies were confused as to what time it was, and well, they were tired since it took about 18 hours to get home. We ended up going home on a different airline and flying into LAX, which is much farther away from our house. We get on the freeway and 20 minutes into our drive home, the freeway is closed...of course. That was just how the day went. But we made it and are happy to be back.

Happy Birthday Blake


Blake turned 4 on Sunday. Both the kids were sick and after Blake nearly hacking up a lung at church, we left. We had some yummy ice cream cake.

Everyone enjoyed it.

Dylan was not only sick, but also teething. Somehow me managed to eat some cake.

He opened a present from mom and dad.

A lego dump truck! Happy Birthday Blake!

Tractor

Later on Saturday, we went over to Jake's house to feed the fish in his pond and ride his tractor.
















Grandpa got the tractor fired up.


Dylan went out for a spin with Grandpa.


Dylan enjoyed the ride. Blake did not want to go on the tractor.


Dylan thought he was a big boy and could drive it by himself.


He is just the right size for the tractor, right?

Blake finally got on the tractor.
Blake found his new love!

Park

The next day, Saturday, we went to the park.

Even though it was cold, the kids needed to get out and play.
After the park, we went over to play with Evan...my parents' neighbors' kid. They had a blast and Blake loved playing with Evan's legos and riding his little car.