I can do it!

I keep hearing the Rob Schneider characters in the Adam Sandler movies cheering, "You can do it!"

See this link

I'm pretty sure Jim mentioned it as a joke, but I took it seriously.  It was that I rode my bike 8.6 miles to meet my family at Moe's for supper.  I rode and they drove/rode in the car.  It was kind of cool to wave at them when they passed me.  It was kind of not cool also because I learned that I really need both hands on the bike to steer.

What I didn't realize was that I really wasn't going to feel like eating after exerting so much strenuous activity, but I managed.  I also managed to be one of those people that you can't help staring at.  You see, my body is built and designed to turn into a pulsating blood-at-the-skin's-surface machine when I exercise.  Little exercise or a lot, doesn't matter.  I turn into a red hot sun-burned-looking lobster.  So after pacing a good 10 minutes after dismounting the bike and spending another 10 minutes standing in line to order, I took the kids to the bathroom to wash their hands and WHAT!!!  I'm prepared to start scaring little children.  My face and neck seriously looked like someone spread a heavy layer of dark red blush all over it.  My own children were hesitantly congratulating me when they followed me into the parking lot.  It's very embarrassing, but not enough to stop.

The race is in 9 days and I knew I really needed to become familiar with the bike before the morning of, so today was the day.

It took me 50 minutes, but I would guess about 10-15 of that was stop lights, drink breaks and a break for the chain.

I did learn how to reattach the chain when it comes off the gears.  I learned that I'm no good at drinking water while riding.  I also learned that I would much rather ride on the sidewalk than chance the bike lane.  All it would take is a distracted driver (no, I've never experienced that), a little swerve, and my family would be attending a funeral next Saturday instead of a race.

It's coming down to the wire and I'm excited.

Go Mommy! Go mommy! Go mommy! Go mommy!

Butter me up

This kid already has it figured out.  He's working on how to butter up mama, and from the looks of it, he's doing a pretty darn good job. :)

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Bath memories

Amidst the hectic schedules of getting 3 little ones fed, bathed and off to bed every night, I really do try to enjoy the precious moments that creep up in the most unlikely situations.

Katherine is plenty old enough and big enough to bathe herself, but playing in the bathtub with her 2 little brothers is still a treat for her.

Nathan update

 I haven't given updates on this little dude lately.  Boy, do I have some awesome things to say about him.

First of all, this guy decided to potty train himself a couple months ago.  WHAT?  You ask.  Yep, that's right.  I casually mentioned putting on some big boy underwear one day, he agreed and made the effort himself, All - Day - Long.  With little to no reminding on my part.  I had been burned enough to realize that if it remotely came across as being my idea, he was going to push back haaaaarrrrrd and the battle would be long and treacherous.  So that's how it happened.  3 years, 4 months old and Nathan is potty trained.

To all those soon-to-be potty-training (pt) mothers of boys, here's my advice (even though you didn't ask for it): if your pt efforts are met with anything that could be remotely considered "resistance", save yourself the hassle and lay off for another couple of months.  I made 6, yes SIX, strong, planned out attempts to potty train him over the course of 16 months and what I learned was this: until he's ready, no amount of bribing, rewarding, threatening, disciplining, modeling or anything else under the sun will work.  Save yourself the heart ache, keep the relationship in good standing and DON'T try to potty train him unless he shows interest within the first couple of hours.  Spending the extra money on diapers and wiping man-sized poops off his little hiney are worth salvaging your relationship with him.

There I said it.  Tries #1-5 were, no lie, no exaggeration, HORRENDOUS and HORRIBLE!  But, when he was ready, he literally did it all himself.  No reminders.  All on his own.

Praise Jesus!

So on to some more wonderful things this little dude has been doing.  He has been polite, mannerly, sweet, lovable, caring, kind, considerate, friendly, talkative, cuddly and an all-around wonderfully pleasant little creature to have in our house.

All I need to know is who abducted the old child and brought back this child that I absolutely adore and love to spend time with?

Guess it doesn't matter.  He has been the stark opposite of what he was before and I love it.  I love and adore him.  I am constantly praising him for his awesome little personality

One of the little cute quirks he has is his imaginary friend, Chalk.  His imaginary friend's name is Chalk, who is also called Cauk.  Unless I'm totally missing out on Cauk being a different person than Chalk. I can't tell.  Chalk and Cauk are sometimes adult men, sometimes 3 year olds, sometimes little baby brothers.  They work with tractors, orange tractors mostly, road construction equipment, chemicals, big tires and just happen to experience a lot of the same issues that we face daily.  Very sweet.  Although, I'm not real crazy about the names, because I would hate for someone to mistake who or what he's talking about.

He's become fascinated with cigarettes.  He knows one person that smokes and when he sees a cigarette on the ground he screams, "Wook Mom!  A cigawette!  Yuck!  Those will make you very sick!  Eeeww, mom.  Don't touch dem.  Cigawettes are yucky."

Okay, okay, okay.  Can we say that in a little quieter voice, please?

But then he starts talking about how Chalk or Cauk smokes.  Oh dear.

He has started soccer.  He plays great at home, but on the field is a different story.  We're still working on some basic soccer principles like 1) not everybody has their own ball on the field and 2) the other team is supposed to try to take it away from you.  Usually we get in a good 5-10 minutes of descent play time on the field, then the other  45 minutes is him sitting on the bleachers waiting for the after-game snack.  Small steps, mom.  Small steps.

He loves his little brother and is fiercely protective of him, yet rough on his own terms as needed.

He will warn the doctors/nurses to not make his 'bwudder cwy' when they have to vaccinate him.

He has started the daily occurrence of becoming upset when we drop off sister.  He says its because he wants to spend time with his friends and then becomes insistent on inviting over one or all of his friends, NOW.  I'm pretty sure he's ready for pre-school.  Mommy excitement just isn't cutting it anymore.

He has started asking me, out of the blue, "Mom, what can I help you with?" which is just enough to make me stop what I'm doing and go play with him.  Melts my heart, that little man.

That's all I've got for now.  Bottom line is this: from 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 has been a complete 180-degree turn about in his attitude and he is a delightful creature to be around.  I treasure these days I have with him.  More updates to come...

When mom gets mad

First, let me set up the scene for you:

Jim is working late.  I'm doing it ALL in the evening.  Not my favorite thing to do, if I must admit.  Feeling a little bit of pressure, then someone does something that just about sends me into orbit while the 4 of us are sitting at the supper table.

But, the little angel sitting on my shoulder sweetly whispered in my ear and reminded me to keep my calm with these two little precious-es.  So I did just that.  Rather than explode, which is what my instinct was, I took a very loooonnnnnnng, deeeeeeeeep, dramatic inhale.  Then, when my lungs became filled with oxygen which then fed my oxygen-deprived brain, I realized how ridiculous I looked and busted out laughing spewing forth the previously inhaled and much needed air.

This is our children's dramatic interpretation of what happened minutes earlier...

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One minute I'm ready to blow a gasket and seconds later, they have me in stitches.

Hollywood Studios 2012

We had such a good time at Epcot, we decided to go to Hollywood Studios just 3 days later.  It was so spontaneous, I think we decided on a Friday night to leave the next morning.  That's major for us.  Major.

The scene behind Jim is actually a backdrop.  Looks pretty cool when you 'round the corner and see what looks like the actual streets of San Francisco.

 

Us prepping for the MuppetsVision 3-D

This was their favorite part of the park.  The "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids" playground.  Somehow, I convinced them that the short walk into the playground area was actually shrinking our bodies to be smaller than ants and grass.  They're so much fun at this age.

 

Beauty and the Beast - Live on Stage

Pixar Pals Parade

They just weren't that impressed.

I think the characters were ones they weren't familiar with.

No, wait a minute!  Someone is recognizable.

Of course, Sully from Monsters, Inc.

 

And some Toy Story characters!

Lights, Motors, Action! car stunt show.

Poor kid doesn't own a pair of shoes.

Nathan ready for a nap.

Epcot 2012

One of our Christmas gifts to the kids was a 4-day pass to Disney.  We invited the grandparents to Epcot.  What a treat it is to see Disney's magic through the eyes of our children.

Almost there...

Turtle Talk with Crush.  Crush was a hit with our crew because he singled out Papa for not participating with the group.  It was funny.

Living with the Land.  A very enlightening ride in itself, now add in 2 farmers.

ImageWorks

Bamah and Papa in on the music-playing action.

Spaceship Earth

Sleeping Beauty

Wondering where Brandon is?  He decided to stay home with Miss L.  It just wasn't the same without him there, though.  So he made it to the other 3 days of Disney.

Epcot's iconic architecture.  I remember my mom and Aunt H. from Japan getting a picture in front of this building, probably 30 years ago, or more.

 

Bamah introducing the kids to funnel cakes.  She was sure more of the powdered sugar ended up on her shirt than in anyone's mouth.

 

Some character greetings.  I honestly have no idea who this character is.  Mickey's cousin, maybe?

Whoever he is, Nathan is not too happy he's around.

Jim was ready to head out of Dodge after the pic with Mickey's cousin and I stopped the whole family in their tracks.  We don't make it all the way to Disney to get a picture with what's-his-face when Mickey is right next to him in line.  Line up family.

Nathan is his father made over.  Check him out checking out Mickey.  Shady character he is.

Innoventions had this really neat area for kids to learn about house fires.  It helped bring up some really neat and valuable discussions about what we all should do if there's a fire in our house.

Kids learning to stay low when smoke is around.

Mommy proudly watching.

Crawling around the fire.

Serious talk with a dude that stands next to the fire truck.

Nathan needing a nap.

More serious talk with fire truck dude.

Mommy and brother being silly.