lost tooth

Andrew lost his third tooth! Actually more like he made it come out. He was eating nimonnims (M & M's for those of you who don't speak Andrewese) and must have felt a pop. He checked and there was a little blood around his tooth. I'm pretty sure it wasn't ready to come out yet, but he spent the next two hours pushing it back and forth with his finger until he made it come out. He really wanted the tooth fairy to come.

Andrew doing tricks

Andrew told me: Mom, come outside I want to show you something....

surgery day

Getting ready for surgery. He was such a good sport, he just couldn't understand why he couldn't eat. That's hard considering it's one of his favorite things to do!

coming out of recovery....

Sponge bob as the nurses call it holds his arm upright to reduce swelling and help keep it immobile. He is still in a sugar splint but it is wrapped with one layer of blue fiberglass to give it some strength so it kinda looks like a real cast. Hopefully we will get the really one this next week.... he'll have to be in in for six more weeks :(

Every nurse that came by had to tell me how they were all in love with this little guy who had them wrapped around his finger. He did well, the hardest part for him is the anesthesia made his tummy sick and he can't move.... did I mention how much he wants to wiggle.

Dang Monkey Bars!

So we went to the urgent care clinic today. No bets as to which little man needed to go. Diagnosis, no more monkey bars for awhile, or riding his bike, or playing d.s. games, or scooters :( He was so brave, and wouldn't even let me treat him to an ice cream or a slurpee afterward.

little stitchers

Nathan asked me recently to teach him to cross stitch. I had a sinus infection that next week and spent most of a whole day in bed and... taught them both to stitch. Nathan had an easier time and was able to come back up through with the second half of the stitch and could read his patterns by himself but I was still impressed with Andrew. He was able to work the thread from the front and could follow my instructions on how many stitches per row. Nathan made the lady bug on the left (for Andrew) and Andrew made the book mark with the three stars. So neat they were intrested in learning this.

Scouting

We have a new (very excited) cub scout! His first meeting was this past Monday. He is already counting down the days until the next one. Funny how when Nathan was in first grade I thought he was getting so big and every time I look at Andrew I think he is so small ( is that how it is with oldest and youngest) ~ and he is small~ he's just standing on a rock in the picture.

weekend adventures and birthday greetings

We spent the weekend with some good friends in the middle of the desert outside Delta, UT. It's no where near anything. There are however lots of hidden little treasures in the hills. We found trilobites (which was the goal of the trip), ferns, and discovered a pack of wild horses- which are still trying to figure out what Roger was running from :) Could have been a tad warmer, but it was a great weekend.

Andrew also lost his first tooth - not from trying every waking minute to get it to fall out or anything.
Also need to wish Jennifer and Stephanie very happy birthdays. We don't see either of you enough!

Andrew came home with a little girls phone number scrawled across a sticky note last week. He keeps it in his pocket. Know how many cars and rocks end up in my washer.... not the note. He is keeping it safe and protected. It moves from pocket to pocket each day. Her name is Sicily. She gave him her phone number and asked him to call her to play. I KNOW it is INNOCENT and CUTE, and believe me we think it IS cute - but have I mentioned before how glad I am I have boys....we know her parents. It's occurred to us to call and console her poor dad. Andrew insists she is just a friend...although he made us take down the picture on our fridge of him kissing Justine on Valentines day :).

January poem

Andrew learns a new poem at school every month. This month is:

A chubby little snowman
had a carrot for a nose
along came a bunny
and what do you suppose
that hungry little bunny
looking for some lunch
ate that snowman's nose
with a nibble nibble crunch.

This is his picture to go with it. The bunny is soooo cute! (the white poof in the lower right corner -two ears on top, four legs and a cotton tail).

visions of tinsel trees

Last year a co-worker has these little pre-lit tinsel trees. I managed to find a couple and each kids has one in their room. When we got them out this year Andrew had to have his on his bed so he could see it as he went to sleep.

awesomous

Apparently "awesomous" is a word. The kids have been taking turns going to the golf course with their Jaja and hitting balls. Andrew likes the country club, actually they both do. But last week Andrew said he liked it "because it's fun and has good food". We are talking Andrew here. Tonight he said he's looking forward to the "treaty awesomous thingy" - Uh - yeah, whatever that is. I didn't realize he spoke "teenager" yet.

I also asked him a couple nights ago what he wanted to be when he grew up - he said a tank. I shouldn't be surprised. He'd actually make a pretty good one considering he's human.

We had a new family with four kids move into the duplex across the street. One little boy is a year younger than Andrew, then I think four girls-all a bit older. But it will be nice having more kids on the block.

We're headed to a demolition derby tonight, I've never been to one. Should fascinate the boys.

I don't know

Close your eyes (well open them so you can finish reading) and imagine Bill Cosby's skit "Bill Cosby as himself" remember the part where he is asking his children why they did something and you get that chin to the chest, eyes to the floor whiny "I don't know". It's usually when they are in trouble and know it. Last weekend we had bacon with breakfast. Nice deli cut black pepper bacon. Andrew wanted 'more' so Dad gave up two of the nicest pieces because their not spoiled or anything. Andrew dawdled at eating (I know unbelievable) and eventually asked if he could eat on the deck. We thought it was weird but Paul said yes. Awhile later I went out to get his plate and something in the pine tree caught my eye. I went in and asked Andrew, "Is that your bacon in the pine tree?" "Yes", "How did get there", "I threw it", as Pauls eyes are about to pop out I asked why......"I don't know"But really I'm just curious, what on earth made that thought pop into your little brain?

Rainmakers Campout

We went to Pineview Reservoir this weekend with our church for their annual Rainmakers camp out. It rained... hard too. One couple had three poles on their tent break when the storm blew in. It didn't last long and the rest of the time it was perfect weather. We've had so much rain lately all the reservoirs are full and there was only about four feet of beach instead of twenty, but everyone shared. We had a really good time and ended up meeting another couple from our church that lives literally down the street from us with a little girl Andrews age. We're going to try to get together again after our next trip.

The kids were being silly one morning while I was making breakfast in the fifth wheel and I took this video, as I was loading the pictures to the computer today I showed it to Nathan and he laughed so hard I had to stop so he could go to the bathroom.

look ma!

Andrew is getting in practice riding without training wheels. He still doesn't start on his own, and really won't try, but I don't mind not having to make another trip for stitches until he gets more of a hang of it.

success

When I mentioned I needed a new skill set, someone was listening (always is). Actually my husband is the one with the skills. Our new house guest is doing well. And he's a little escape artist. I had come home yesterday and the cage was empty I thought something had happened to him and that we had another burial in the backyard. I called my husband and he said the bird was in the cage when he left for work. Found out he was able to squeeze through the holes and was hoping around the garage. Paul got him back in the box and added another layer of chicken wire. He seems to really like it under the light. Paul 'spoon' fed him dog food after a few other attempts suggested from a website didn't work. The bird would almost literally inhale it and then shake his head and fling dog food everywhere, it reminded me of feeding a toddler.

On to our highlight this week. Andrew had a pre-school graduation now that he is moved up to the "school agers" class. The teachers asked all the kids their favorite things and his was that he is in the big kids class now (and his least favorite is taking a nap). Here he is with his teachers Ms. Becky (L) and Ms. Katelyn (R). The kids performed a little singing program and were presented with candy lei's and diplomas.

Not a box

I mentioned we had dinner with our friends Saturday. I have to mention it again, the food and company were really good. And they had just bought some furniture. Which everyone knows comes with a toy for the kids. This is their new clubhouse/boat....whatever, but it is not a box. My friend even had a book titled Not a Box. My boys love *not* boxes. We currently have "trains" in each of their rooms - housing all the baby dolls that are going on a ride and a "house" in Nathans room with doors and windows. I've even seen another friend build a three room, two story (really!) house with the reinforced stove/dishwasher/ boxes. The kids could sit in the top story. The not a box really is much more fun that the useless item that only does one thing that came in it. I however couldn't get the other kid in there. He was having too much fun launching the play lawn mower down the slide.

I love this funny picture, and it intrigues me as well. Nathan and Sam look more like siblings than Nathan and Andrew.

Matched set

Andrew loves those Crocs shoes, he also loves running. Crocs don't love running. Poor knees. He went sliding across the parking Monday afternoon and got the right knee and then Monday night he went sliding across the sidewalk and got the other. He hands actually don't look to bad and this picture was right after bath time so they are significantly cleaned up. He does more damage walking that he does falling off his bike.

cousins

When we were in Moab my Sister-in-law drove through with her family so we all had dinner together along with my Brother-in-laws parents from Grand Junction. Here's a picture of all the cousins. Last night we had our second class in the Fireproof series and we gathered in small groups. I really enjoyed the people that ended up in our group. Good thing, we're going to be together for awhile. I think the idea is to form groups that support each other even after the class is finished.We'll see how it goes, but it's off to a good start.

get ready, here they come

Hard to believe there are only six weeks left of this school year. Andrew and his friend Sammy had their Kindergarten orientation this past Friday. I didn't realize until Sammys mom mentioned she got a bit choked up at the door that once again I hadn't. I was so excited for Nathan to start school last year that I didn't get upset until I realized that I hadn't gotten upset. I loved school and assumed he would as well, which he does. Andrew has been looking forward to going since Nathan started last year. Both of the Kindergarten teachers are wonderful and I hope to be volunteering in Andrews class. I've been helping in Nathans so far and they both know that from now on I'll switch years back and forth between them. I'm looking forward to helping in the Kindergarten again. Honestly it was a bit more fun than first grade has been. Some of it is just that Kindergarten is just plain more fun. But I think partially because I end up helping the students that need it the most and Nathan usually isn't in that group so I don't get to work with him as much as I would like. Some of the kids have grown on me and I wonder if through the years they'll end up at my house when they are in high school and what they'll be like then. There are a few that I think may never grow on me and I wonder if that will change and they'll end up being the ones I hope the kids bring home as friends. I was really hoping that Sammy and Andrew would be in the same class so I could work with her as well but I think they are going to end up in different sessions entirely. I guess there's always first grade.

Roadrash

Weirdest thing, my camera will only download pictures from one USB port on my home computer, I have eight. I've had this problem before so at least this time is was faster figuring out what the problem was. Anyway, here are the pictures of Nathan on his bike.

Before.....

After..... (at least this time it wasn't his face again).

Here is Andrew and his friends from his party and his smiley face cupcakes...