Cloud 9

Nothing better than finishing off your day with a bike ride.  

Ever since we went to Europe and saw EVERYONE riding bikes...and their babies sitting in the front, not back, Beau and I have wanted a kid carrier for the front of our bike.  I have always been nervous about the wobbly-ness of riding someone on the back so this was the perfect solution.  The front just seems more stable (to me at least) and they don't have to stare at the back of your shirt for the entire ride, they can see what's happening.  This little green goodie proved it all.  Cruz felt so light and didn't throw me off AT ALL.  The little man was just as pumped as I was as if he knew what he was in for.  He kept trying to get on the bike and then when he got in his little seat he would hold on to the handle bars and say "WEEEEEE!"  We took it for a spin through the neighborhood.  Super duper fun (and I could keep up with Oshyn!)

Thank you Gma and Gpa for the bike (that's what I got!), Mom and Pete for the front kid carrier & helmet, and Beau for the cute kid that fit so well in it all.

Wide awake

So I have already done the dishes, watered the garden, done a load of laundry, put some oatmeal in the rice cooker for breakfast, and I'm still not quite sure I tired myself out enough to fall back asleep.  It is getting closer to morning.  4:11 am to be exact.  I guess I'll write a little somethin' somethin' that I've been thinking about a wee bit.  Earlier this week I read on a friend's blog (thanks Ash) about the scripture:

Luke 2:52: "And Jesus increased in wisdom and 

stature, and in favour with God and man."

Before reading this I had decided that if I read my scriptures and did something active...even if it just was a walk, that everything else I did in my day was just gravy (aka. bonus).  These two things were my goal--2 important things for me and if I reached them I felt like I've done my duty--for myself.  To not get too overwhelmed with all that I want to do and focus on what I felt was really important (of course loving and taking care of my kids is a given, but do I even have to say that for everyone to already know that?) was what I was aiming for.  I'm the type of person that feels good about a day if I've accomplished something.  My husband calls me the "classic over-achiever".  

True to my title, when reading an interpretation of this scripture how "daily we should do something to increase our wisdom, stature (do something physical), spirituality (favour with God), and social (favour with man)" made me want to do a little something more.  So this is my new goal--to work on these 4 areas--instead of just 2 of them...

At least I'll have more time to work on these today, being that the dishes are done, the garden is watered, I'm a load of laundry closer, breakfast is ready...hopefully I won't be too tired.

If this makes no sense to anyone, cut me some slack--it is 4 in the morning.  As for the pictures, who doesn't like flying kids?

All night study sessions

I love being ONE...or at least having a ONE year old.  I can never get over how smart babies/toddlers seem to get over night.  Cruz is saying lots of little words...mom, dada, doggie, hi, amen, bye bye, night night, ball, no, teeth, balloon, keys, hello, and I'm sure a few more I'll remember after I post this.  But more than that, he understands little commands & questions, such as--go put the ball in the box, where's your cup?, etc.  Cruz does a few little signs, mostly PLEASE--such good manners. :) He does this cute little O with his mouth that gives us all stomach pains with laughter.  Cruz loves balloons, brushing his teeth, being chased, riding/standing on his bike, pretending to talk on the phone or use the t.v. remote, and throwing things in the pool.  I LOVE having a ONE year old.    

SPF 50

For those of you wondering...no, that is not a white swimsuit.  

Oshyn doesn't like to be IT & Cruz just wants to play

When playing TAG, Oshyn always makes up random rules so he will not be IT...so I didn't tell him this was TAG and I especially didn't tell him he was IT.  I just told him Kirkie wanted him to answer some questions.  He said, "Where's Kirkie's Spiderman suit?" when he saw his pictures...

What does Mommy always say to you?

O: Hey Oshyn! Come and eat lunch.
C: Ga

What makes Mommy happy?

O: When I lay on you. (I tried to trick him and ask him this twice b/c I thought he was just being

 silly, but he said we already did this one and kept giving this answer...)
C: Ba de

What makes Mommy sad?

O: When I hit you.

C: Hoo hoo (O:  I know...when he plays with stuff he's not supposed to)

How does Mommy make you laugh?
O: How do I make YOU laugh?  When I go to the gym and then I fall in the balls and jump around (all said while waving his arms around re-living this)

Cruzer was lost at this point...

How old is Mommy?

O: I don't know..13, 14, 15

How tall is Mommy?

O: Let me go get the tape measure and then I'll measure you...tape measure where are you?  Tape measure where are you?  Ah ha!!  There it is.  Step on this and then hold this.  How tall are you?  (5'6"...I thought I was 5'7"...maybe I was slouching...) 5 and a 6.  Let's see how long the room is!

 (The rest of the questions were answered as he was measuring EVERYTHING).

What does Mommy like to do?
O: Wrestle

What is Mommy's job?
O: To be my mom.

What is Mommy's favorite food?

O: Mac n cheese baby. (Is that my favorite or your favorite?)  Yours and mine!

How do you know that Mommy loves you?

O: Cuz your my mom

Bella and Sophie...you are IT, because it just wouldn't be the same if Oshyn didn't get to TAG Bella.

We've seen blue skies

THREE days in a row!!!  Bye bye smoke.

What about the 4th?

4th of July weekend we spent up in Redding with the Nobmann side...9 out of the 11 cousins were there (pretty good--but we still missed Harrison and Asher in the mix).  We spent tons of time on the lake and doing all kinds of water stuff...skiing, tubing, playing in the ginormus hamster ball, fishing, swimming to the island, throwing water balloons and just jumping in.  Like I've said before, we all love it up there and just being able to be outside constantly.  The weather was cool for Redding (not cold, just not 156 degrees like normal :) They have a bunch of fires up there also (we actually saw a small fire on the way up) so they cancelled the firework show.  Bummer for sure, but no worries, we made do with the firework show in DC on t.v. and a great ice cream cake.  I love the 4th of July.

A twist on Longfellow

There was a little boy

Who had a little curl (Superman curl, that is)
Right in the middle of his forehead;
And when he was good
He was very, very good,
But when he was bad he was horrid

We are all (well, Oshyn and I need it the most) working on controlling our tempers in this house. Counting to ten works wonders. It is amazing how someone you love so much can make your blood boil at times. Needless to say, we will be playing a fun game of Simon Says for Family Home Evening tonight.

A different kind of summer

Oh where oh where has the delta breeze gone

Oh where oh where can it be?

There's so much smoke in the air it looks foggy out there

Oh please come blow it away.

To be inhaling air as if I smoked a pack a day is not my idea of a good time.  Driving down the freeway today I saw a half a dozen fire trucks with the firemen's duffles all stacked on top ready for their shift.  Hopefully the fires will dwindle down soon...word is, 28 major fires still blazing in the state.  The air looks like the winter fog we get down here, but the temperature beckons me to jump in the pool.  We usually make it until about 4pm and then we give in and jump in.  This morning we made it until 9am...hopefully none of us come down with the smokers cough.

Neither one could wait to get in!!

How Oshyn spends his swimming time (at least he isn't breathing much air)

Cruz working the float...he can get the wall now too--Go Cruzer!

A week or so ago, we went with the Joneses to the mall to play on their play thingy to beat the smoke.  I had to post some of these pictures because I love that Sophie just dives head first off of just about everything--and then laughs.  Strike a pose Bella and O...we're still into matching top to bottom and tucking EVERYTHING in!

       

Chalk happens

*Heat stroke was about to happen too if they didn't come back inside...109 is HOT!