Bescpectecaled

We have noticed over the past few months that Drew would from time to time get a little crossed eyed, especially when he was tired.  So after a trip to the ophthalmologist, our precocious 2 year old is now the proud owner of glasses.  Turns out he was extremely far sighted with a condition called Strabismus - in which the eyes are not properly aligned with each other - or in the common tongue, cross-eyed.  It occurs in 4-5% of children and can improve dramatically with corrective lenses.

Its amazing how quickly he took to them - he has had very little problem keeping them on all day.  The gift of sight - wonderful thing.  The blue frames were not quite what we picked out, but we are going to use them until the darker pair come in. 

Another War Wound

There are so many great things about have big brothers, but for Drew there is the constant battle of never wanting to be left out.  He has taken to riding (or trying to ride) a bike with no training wheels and overall does pretty well.  At least until today.  He fell off and hit his head on some patio furniture.   A quick trip to Mom's office for 6 stitches and he was right back at it. 

Endearing

I wanted to record 2 "I Like Ike" moments that have occurred over the past few weeks. 

1.  During the territorial cup (where ASU plays the UofA in football), Todd had his buddy Tony over as well as my brother-in-law John & our nephew Brayden.  Unfortunately, the UofA got killed.  But, the night was not a waste.  You see....Todd & Tony have been totally into dutch oven cooking.  So, they cooked up a pot of red potatoes, carrots, flank steak & onions with seasoning for a main course.  And, they also cooked not one but TWO cobblers.  (Because...you need dessert options, don't ya know.)  While the older boys were watching the game, Ike & I were decorating the Christmas tree.  TJ & Drew had already crashed at this point.  When the cobblers were finished, we got invited over to eat a serving.  Ike is not one to try food that he isn't sure he already likes, so he told dad that he didn't want cobbler.  Todd replied, "Well, come have a bowl of white ice cream with us then" (as Ike loves ice cream as long as it is VANILLA ice cream.  At this point Ike turned to me and said, "Mom, I can eat white ice cream any time, but we're decorating the Christmas tree together and that is really special and I don't want to miss it so I don't want ice cream."  Awwww.....

2.  Tonight as I was doing our bedtime routine, I read Matthew chapter 6 with the boys.  The whole month of December we've been watching Bible videos (see biblevideos.org or the app) after reading from scripture...in an attempt to just keep our thoughts centered around Christ during this season of the year.  Anyway, we watched a bible video called "Jesus Heals a Woman of Faith".  After our prayers, Ike said to me, "Mom, I wish Jesus were here right now."  I agreed that we'd all be better off with the Prince of Peace in charge of our planet, but I asked him, "Ike, why do you want Jesus to be here?"  Ike's reply was, "Mom, if Jesus were here I would carry Drew to him so Drew could touch his clothes and then Drew would be healed."  Maybe you had to be there but trust me...the moment was adorable.  What does Drew need to be healed of, you are probably wondering?  Well, I took him this morning to go see the pediatric ophthalmologist and he is extremely far-sighted AND he has strabismus.  That is why he has been looking cross-eyed to me from time to time (see photo).  Today we ordered him a pair of glasses.  They will not be in until next week, but it will no doubt be a rough adjustment for all of us.
 

Why you may not get a Christmas card this year....(from us, anyway)

We are having some slight cooperation mishaps with the annual Christmas tree photo op. 

No names shall be mentioned, but one little spirit in particular has objection to remaining stationary for any meaningful period of time. 

I'll give you three guesses...??  How is that for guaranteeing a 100% score on this quiz?  What can I say...I feel full of Christmas cheer and generosity.  Speaking of generosity...does anyone have "2 year-old-menace" on their Christmas wish list?  We had 3 broken ornaments in the first 12 hours of business, and I was ready to gift the little man away.  But, he wormed his way back into my good graces.  He really is quite lovable (& exasperating at the same time :)   

Turkey Time

We were remiss in busting out our turkey headdresses this year on our actual turkey day. 

I think it had something to do with the fact that I was running around like a turkey with my head cut off (apropos, eh?) getting the food prepped.  But, before we packed away Thanksgiving in the garage, we snapped a few images for posterity. 

Gotta love these clowns of ours!

This very well might be my favorite shirt that Drew owns. 
He looks simply adorable in it, don't you agree?  The kid is positively GQ (not that I'm biased or anything).  And TJ's attire?  Well, the grizzly bear suits him.  Trust me. 

We had some fun today visiting with Todd's Aunt Pat & Uncle Phil & their 2 daughters and 2 granddaughters.  And...we got our tree up!  Good times! 

GQ

Ike and TJ had a grand ol' time pretending to ride Uncle Mark's motorcycle.  Drew is NOT a big fan of sitting atop of anything from which he could fall, but he at least stopped crying for a couple of minutes sandwiched in between Ike & TJ.  Mom about had a nervous breakdown during this photoshoot, even though the "donorcycle" remained stationary the entire time.  

Memorable Saturday

The 2 older boys went with us to the UofA football game after their soccer season came to a close. 

That is a lot of fun to pack into one day if you are 4.  And yes, by the 4th quarter, the 4-year-old was finished. 

Ike peppered daddy with a million questions, while TJ broke the bank at the concession stand. 

Sadly, our 'cats lost the game.  But, fun was had by all! 

TJ prides himself on being "the first" to make it back to the car.  So, we loitered on a bench in the shade. 

We were made in the shade.  It is too bad the whole stadium wasn't shaded.   

While we had our game faces on, Drew was living large in the company of my coworker and their 2 kids, Ally & Alex. 

Karin was kind enough to send me some pictures of our little man as updates throughout the game. 

It was fun to me to see the updates, but it had an unforeseen effect on TJ...

It wasn't even half time yet & TJ turned to me and said:

"Mom, it is hot here and loud.  I want to go to Karin's and play in the treehouse!"

Note to self: don't get someone too fun to provide childcare for Drew or I'll have some disgruntled older boys on my hands....

Oh, but buy our lil' man TJ some pizza and soon he'll forget he has a complaint in the world... 'pizza on earth' ('tis the season :)

Soccer finale

Our last game of the soccer season was today.  Good times!  The boys were sure proud of their trophies!  In the end, I do not regret letting TJ play up into the 6-8 year division.  Our Saturday mornings were chaotic enough without running around to more than one soccer game this fall.  T can hang with the big dogs...T stands for tough, don't ya know....

s/p Tooth Fairy

As promised, the tooth fairy did pay a visit to Ike last night. 

He drew this picture at school.  I naturally inquired about it (as it was in his "open me" folder upon arrival back home).

To quote the big man: "Mom, I just had the best day showing off my new smile, and now, we get to go spend my $1.00!"  Hello, Walmart...here we come!

On Mondays I get home about an hour before we head out the door to pick Ike up from school.  Sometimes these are particularly entertaining hours.

For instance, today...well, we had some laundry basket racing down the hallways. 

And no, the big Band-Aid is not a result of these races.  There is actually just a tiny fingernail scratch on TJ's forehead but T wanted a "bigger" Band-Aid than Ike (Ike had a scrape to the knee).....  (??  boys...)

No shave November?

I do not for the life of me know who dreams up these crazy schemes.  But, the big guy is not shaving this month.  Let it be known. 

Beware of the bear hugs...you may come away with road rash...

It is surprising to me how many people outside of our immediate family have been very vocally opposed to Todd's new look. 

Who knew that facial hair would spark such criticism? 

I told him I'm cool as long as it is just one month...just as long as he doesn't grow a motorcycle and tattoos and a smoking habit along with the beard... 

I think it is a toss-up whether his facial hair is longer than his mop up top. 
   

Landmark day

Drew officially turned TWO today!  Wow, that went by in a blur.  How is it that some individual days can seem to stretch on for eternity and yet the years flip by at a frenzied pace?  Hmmmm....

Sundays are about the only day that we are successful in getting our littlest guy to nap.  Of course, he will not go down without papa lying with him, so the big guy napped as well. 

This undoubtedly was a good thing, since Todd was in attendance at the very LATE homecoming football game last night.  It might have been tough for dad to dial in a festive party spirit if not for a snoozer.  Drew's big bros & I made good use of naptime (i.e. we did not nap).

In case it is not obvious by this photo: TJ had THE BEST time mixing food color into icing and then using what was leftover from the turkey tail feathers to work his artistic magic. 

The boys think we are "underdecorated" at our pad for Thanksgiving, so it was their idea to make Drewbie a turkey cake. 

I tried to explain that we'd just eat it & it would not furnish any real festive spirit to our home for any length of time....

But they were not to be talked out of it.  I don't think you can tell from the photo, but the brown icing was German chocolate, and the coconut really was kinda fun for mimicking  "feathers".

Drew could NOT have cared less about his cake or ice cream.  He had a GRAND ol' time just running around pell-mell with the cousins.  Life just doesn't get better than that when you are 2.

To make the day even MORE memorable, Ike decided to lose his FIRST tooth ever!  So fun. 

He now has very toothy grins, trying to get everyone to take note.  It is really adorable. 

The kid could NOT be more excited about the Tooth Fairy. 

Which reminds me....I've got some work to do, so I better sign off!
  

TOFW

This is my second year attending "Time Out for Women" in Phoenix, which is sponsored by Deseret Book.  This year, Cherece took Kiersten & one of Kiersten's buddies, Avery so the girls could attend Time Out for Girls at the same time we hit the adult session.  Fun was had by all.  The gal on the far right, Tanya, hooked us up with sweet prime time seating, as her mother-in-law was the MC for the event.   

Kiersten & Avery made use of the pool at our hotel. 

There were people drinking alcohol AND smoking IN the pool.

Ahhhh...city life....  Needless to say, I was glad these chicas had some adult supervision!

Don't they look particularly cute all dolled up in their towels?  So fun! 

To present at TOFW, my understanding is that you have to be published with Deseret Book.  They have dynamic & inspirational speakers as well as musicians.  It is uplifting. 

The downside?  I guess the Phoenix event has become so popular that...get this: 5500 people were in attendance!  Madhouse!  There were another 900+ girls in the TOFG group.  That is a lot of bodies going to & fro at once!

Cherece & I got our photo take with this famous beauty: Sandra Turley. 

She used to perform on Broadway as Cosette in Les Mis.  She has one amazing voice.  And, she has weathered some amazing challenges in her life. 

And check us out here: Cherece & I used to listen to Mary Ellen Edmunds back in the day when we were in the MTC.  So, it was really stellar to have a photo op with her.  She reminds me of my mama.  Very positive, and fun.  Wish you ALL could have been there with us to enjoy the show!

The Unspeakable...

Uncle Walt & Aunt Linda came to town for Homecoming weekend.  It is always a treat to enjoy their company.  Unfortunately I have had other plans for this weekend since Mother's Day. 

To make sure I connected with them, I hauled all 3 boys down to their hotel Thursday afternoon after work (before I left town).  I told the crew we were definitely NOT going to swim.  After all, I was on my own with the 3 of them.   

We didn't take our suits, so as not to be tempted.  Little did I know....Ike & TJ could only take a little egging on by Uncle Walt. 

Before I knew it, my older 2 were stripping down to their undies for a dip, unaided entirely by a parent.  Seriously? 

At least Walt & Linda & Alyssa were the only hotel guests using the pool at that particular moment! 

Drew just ran around like a mad man filling his mama with anxiety about potentially falling in.  I was prepared to go in after him, clothes and all.  There were many close calls, but thankfully I did not have to take a plunge myself! 

Happy Wednesday!

Uncle Walt had some deep dish frozen pizzas delivered to us on dry ice from one of Chicago's most famous establishments.  The boys thought it was Christmas morning...they were SO excited.  And then mom dropped the dry ice into their bath after the soccer practice strip-down & you'd have thought it was Halloween night all over again.  Good times! 

Dutch oven delights

Todd has been bragging at work to his buddy Tony about what a witch he is at dutch oven cooking.

You can only listen to so much of this before you demand a tasting, you see....

So, tonight Todd delivered.  Desserts only for gathering numero uno.  One was apple & the other was a cherry chocolate one.

I made ribs & we BBQ'd hot dogs for the little peeps.  It was a fun Sunday afternoon.  The Hyde Family brought their dog, and let me just say: Drew is in love. 

Who does Otter Pops in November, you ask? 

Well, the kids were not so "into" the dutch oven concoctions, so we rallied with a plan B treat for them. 

In Arizona, this is really not even weird (see that we are in shorts & flip flops still....)

Drew did not want to hang out with the rest of the kids on the blanket.  He somehow conned Tony into spoon-feeding him the Otter Pop....so as not to get his own hands soiled.....  (??)

Our crew looks VERY pale next to the Hyde kiddos.  But at least it was later in the day, and the sun wasn't too intense (i.e. no one got sunburned.  Phew!).

Photo flop

It's official.

I do not think I have ever seen a photo of Ike that looks worse that his school photo 2013 (1st grade).

So, it seems apropos to post this after Halloween night.  SPOOKY!

I have never seen him smile like this, with his top lip curled under like the Grinch incarnate.  And, I've never thought that his eyes were widely spaced before, but something about this shot makes him look like he suffers from Fetal Alcohol Syndrome.  I promise.  I'm a good lil' Mormon girl!  I haven't hit the bottle during or after gestation.  And, he really is the cutest thing.  Come for a personal visit, and he will win you over! 

Happy Halloween!

We got our trick-or-treating crossed off the list.  So fun!  Now that I'm a mom, I keep wishing that Halloween was just on the last Friday in October. 

Too bad I don't rule the world, eh?  Well, Todd is thinking it is a good thing my powers are limited. 

Drew was in a stroller for most of our trick-or-treating venture, and people kept asking what he was, so I'll let you see his backside.  (Costume inspired by Carter Powell--thanks cousin Carter, you "little stinker"!)

One of the highlights of the evening was running into some of our friends. 

Their dog "J. Lo" (no, I am not kidding--that is her name)---she came as a ballerina. 

Gotta love that Halloween mojo!  You go girl!  Shake that bootie!

TJ, what a character!

'Tis the season for ghosts and bats, mummies and goblins, etc. etc. and so forth.  I could go on.  At various times throughout this month, TJ has request to be just about everything you can possibly bring to mind.

When I failed to deliver a costume option for his latest wish (a character right up his alley), he decided to make his own.

By the way, it is a goblin.  Poor mom, she made the fatal mistake of assuming it was a frog.  That did not go over well, but fortunately I did not have my glasses on, so my sins were forgiven me. 

TJ seems dead set on wearing this to his preschool Halloween party on Wednesday.  I told him that that would be awful if we wrinkled his costume with the seatbelt so much that it was unrecognizable as a.....  goblin, was it?  Oh yes, goblin.  What would we rally with on Thursday to trick-or-treat in???    

A-R-I-Z-O-N-A

Well, look at our little home boy all decked out for the game today against Utah.  No, it failed to occur to me that the Utes are red, too. 

Are you insane?  No, Drew did not go to a 4 hour football game that started at 7:00pm.  He just wanted to look the part. 

He did get out to Ike & TJ's soccer game in this attire.  Gotta love the attention from a crowd....Drew was hamming it up. 

And yes, it was a full time job keeping the lil' man off the playing field.  "Where the ball is, there will I be also" is his motto, don't ya know? 

The hat....well, it is a struggle to keep any of boys in hats these days, which is rather annoying to our dermatologist (aka MOM). 

But, I guess if Drew wants to wear a ballcap backwards....it will at least provide a little protect for the back of his neck, eh? 

I keep thinking we need to relocate to Portland, Oregon.  We could do with a forecast that dials up something other than "sunny skies". 

Alas....we are stuck here in the skin cancer capitol of the United States. 

And you wonder why I chew my nails? 

Finally let our Halloween spirit fly!

I put up our usual array of décor for Halloween, and the boys though it lacking.  So, we rallied and made some fun additions.  The boys wanted to make a family portrait for the closet door.  Daddy is the big pumpkin, mommy is taller than daddy, ironically, just to daddy's right and then Drew is the little squash shaped guy next to me.  This seems rather apropos since Drew gets squashed on a  regular basis around here.  TJ is Frankenstein and Ike is next to TJ.  The vampire bat, you ask?  Well, that is Grammie of course...flying in for a freakish feast.  Sorry for those of you who did not make the family portrait wall.  We mean no offense by it.  The boys just ran out of steam... 

Highlight of soccer practice!

Can you make out what is in the tree we parked next to?

Yes, a snake!  It took me a minute to realize it was dead. 

At first my heart was racing thinking: what an aggressive little reptile...climbing trees to seek out its next victim and all....

Well, the boys were 100% enthralled. 

It was good joke fodder for Halloween month, to be sure!   

Big shoes to fill

Drew has a shoe fettish.

It is all fun and games until it is 6:55am and I'm trying to get out the door to work.

And, alas...for the life of me I cannot find the match to the shoes I'm intending to sport while I'm putting the finishing touches on our older boys' school lunches.

Todd is pretty deep in the athletic shoe department, so I try to encourage my little man to prey upon the sperm donor's side of the closet.

But, there is just something magical about seeing your toes pop out the end of your footwear. 

And yes, it is still sandal weather here.

The Blue Flames

Ike & TJ are playing soccer again this fall. 

Ike had to move up to a new playing level, so I put TJ is the older age group, too.

It isn't like TJ has the game mastered and "needs" more competition.  It is just that... well, mom only has so much of her sanity to devote to soccer.  Keeping up with games and practices for ONE team is enough. 

Unfortunately, their team in general is...well, young.  I am glad it is a recreational league and they do not "officially" keep score.  Because, unofficially, these are stinging matches.

At least this last Saturday, Lyla (the gal you can see behind Ike) got a goal for our team.  It was their first live goal this fall.  May we see a little more net action, for the sake of morale.

Epic is a good vocab word!

Ike was working on his homework tonight.  And, though we were in the same room (my office), we were doing our own respective things.  When he finished the few pages he was working on, he looked over at me (I had a book in my hand that I am starting to read), and my first grader inquired:

"Mom, what epic novel is that?"

Now, maybe you have to be a Captain Underpants fan to get what is so funny about his inquiry.  FYI: my read did not pertain to the Tra-la-lah superhero.  But in Ike's mind, any good read ought to be part of the epic series...  

Dog Pile!

Well, the only thing better than a dog pile onto daddy when he rolls in the door from work is....

Back-up from Granddaddy!  Oh yeah! 

The big guy isn't so sure he can hack all this fun.

I love it how Drew is trying to push granddaddy off his rightful place at the top of the pyramid. 

It goes without saying that our little man hasn't quite mastered the "pick on someone your own size" advice...

Beam me up, Scottie...

Up to the top of Mount Lemmon!  It is heavenly to shed 30 degrees in 30 miles!  Sweet afternoon spent with mom & dad.  Mom was salivating over the facilities for girls' camp, as they have no such amenities in KS.  This was a great start to a fabulous week.  Stephanie (Hello Kitty shirt) is taking the plunge on Saturday (i.e. getting baptized).  We're so grateful that mom & dad try to make it out for these landmark affairs!  Yes, as a matter of fact, Ike did dress himself.  It is his undershirt from church, a random pair of "soft shorts" and his church socks....???  Good thing the only spectator we had was a deer.