the little guys....

So last week, Corbin had an accident at school and went potty in his pants. This was strange to me as he did not have any problems the whole semester last winter. His teacher told me he was standing by the table and all of sudden he went. He leaned over to her and said, "You forgot to take me to the bathroom." She leaned back over to him and said, "You forgot to tell me you had to go!" He got a progress report from school and got mostly "1's" but he did get a few "2's" which means needs work. She told me he could not tell them his last name. I found this quite odd. He had been telling me his name is Corbin Jayce Cnossen for probably about a year now. The only thing I can think of is we did not tell him specifically that Cnossen was the last name?!?!?! He also could only count to 5 for them they said, which again he usually counts to 12 for me. My mom said he would only count to 8 for them this last weekend. He is very much the type of kid that if he is not in the mood to do something....HE DOESN'T!!! Yes, he gets that from his parents....kind of like I needed to go back to work tonight and I decided to be a rebel and not do it!!! I will pay for that tomorrow, I am sure! Case has been so funny lately, he tells me everyone is a "naughty boy" or "nice boy". I think we are talking about Santa too much lately. Speaking of Holiday's, we do have some pictures from Halloween, but I have not uploaded them yet to my computer..... I am ready for a new computer, a laptop that I can bring upstairs and use for all my pictures and everything else I do online.... (Blog, facebook, email, etc...... what were you thinking?!?!?) More to come, have a great night!

Random Thoughts.....

So, today when I picked up Corbin from School, the sitter said Case said as I pulled into the driveway, " I want to see my mama!" When I got in there he gave me big hugs and kisses and was way sweet. Sometimes he even will ask me, "Mom, can I go to work with you?" All this got me to thinking of how important each day is and how quickly time slips away. I thought about how cute Corbin was at this age and then I realized that this time was gone, it was time I would simply never get back! Sometimes as a working mom, you wonder if it is all worth it to try to juggle so much. You never know who you are really doing right by and struggle to find enough time for all involved. It makes you think about savoring each moment as if it was the last moment you had. I can't help but wonder if this was the best time of my kids lives and if I was in effect missing it?!? I think a lot these days about what the future holds and I have found out that somewhere along the line, my heart has turned to mush. My kids have turned me into a big ole softie!! I spend my time thinking about all the things I wish for them in the future and how I hope we can all grow old together experiencing life. With such a large extended family I can't help but wonder if we all will be spared from hardship and have the opportunity to appreciate each and every one of us for the people we are and the traits we each bring to the table. As the old saying goes, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." Life is not always what you would want and not always what you dreamed it to be, but for most of us, at the end of the day, it is still pretty damn good. Keep that in the fore front of you mind and spend a little time being thankful each day. Peace out..............

Busy, Busy, Busy

We had a good Halloween and got way too much candy, but that is okay because I am so cheap I took some and froze it for the Christmas Stockings....no reason to buy too much more than I have to! The boys both got flu shots yesterday which Case did not seem to really mind much, but Corbin was not thrilled. Case told Dan, I better get go grandma house tomorrow!!! So I guess he thought after enduring that it was the least Dan could do for him! Yes, the boys are going to my moms for the night. Dan and I are excited to have a break. We wanted to go away, but with the weather and after spending well over 1k on new tires, brake jobs, etc.... now is probably not the time. Especially with Christmas coming, which will probably be low key this year or at least I hope!!! I need to focus on getting stuff out of the house, not in!!!!!!!! We may go out for dinner or even pick something up and bring it back home.

Corbin asked me a question yesterday and when I answered him, he said, " Oh mom, you are a genius!" Funny thing is I don't know if he was serious or sarcastic, my kid for sure!!!!!!! I volunteered in his class on Thursday which was nice to see some of the classmates and get to see him in the classroom setting. He is very low key in there and much less hyper than some of the other little kids. He has a TON of boys, like 14 or 16 with like 7 or 8 girls! He is one of the younger kids in his class too it seems. I think in two weeks we get report cards and have parent teacher conferences so that will be interesting to see what they think. I get the feeling they really like Corbin. The one teacher said he is quiet but when you least expect it he will have a whole conversation with you.

Case came downstairs when he woke up this morning and almost fell, but caught himself. He looked up at me and said, "I don't want an owwy!" and gave me the dirtiest look. You would of thought I pushed the kid down the stairs! He is definitely a LOT stronger personality than Corbin but also a big sweetie. He is my snuggly kid and he loves his baby! (A stuffed animal my friend had given Corbin that we called P-Bear, however he changed his name to baby Ewwa. Ella is a kid at daycare so that is where that came from.) He has been getting up a lot of nights and climbing in bed with us which is getting kind of old. When I woke up this morning I saw a shadow and thought it was him standing there, when I reached out no one was there..... I obviously need more sleep these days! I guess I better get going, I am suppose to walk at 8am but with the rainy weather I am not sure what we be doing! I gotta do something, Lord knows I have eaten like a pig lately. Take care all

Fall

It has been so extremely busy these days, I don't know where time goes. I know work has been busy and of course the weekends have been busy. On Friday, Dan took the boys to John Ball Park Zoo and did the BOO ZOO. The boys had fun walking around and getting treats. I was going to go, but did not quite get out of work in time. On Saturday, I did a Breast Cancer walk in GR with Case. Let's just say he was not too pleased to be strapped into the stroller for the walk. He thinks he needs to be independent, but he is not quite as big as he thinks he is! Sunday, Corbin and I went outside. I ended up working while Corbin went over the neighbor boys house and ended up playing inside with them for a while. He is so funny, Dan was sleeping and he was concerned if going outside would be okay. (I originally told him to go out and I would be out in a bit.) He asks, Did Daddy say I could go out by myself? I told him that Daddy was sleeping and I gave him permission so it was okay. He tells me, "Oh, Daddy said you could be the boss now?" Later after dinner we all went for a walk and the boys and I ended up playing outside more after dinner until after 8pm. The neighbor was out and the boys were playing with her son Jacob. He is such a nice kid and was making the boys laugh so HARD!!!! Case had the belly laughs going which made both Becky and I giggle at him. I can't say enough about how nice Fall is! I only hate that it is the prelude to something not so nice. Couped up all winter with two little boys that are full of energy just might make for a long winter. We will have to get out to places they can run around like the mall or go to crazy bounce! Anyway, I think I am going to start getting ready for work since it is getting close to 6am. :-)

That Case!!

I swear that little one Case is going to put me in the nut house!! He somehow managed to get medicine, take the lid off and drink some while I was in the shower. Luckily I peeked out at him and yelled at him to put it back!! He actually listened so I could get out of the shower only to see he really had drank some. I called my BFF Lynn who is a pharmacist and she called poioson control. Thank the Lord he was just fine, but you have to watch him 24/7!!!! He been taking off the register covers to the vents and trying to put toys down in them. More to come later.... :-)

A Little of this, A little of that.....

Dan and I are childless tonight and we did not even go out. Funny how your idea of a hot date pre-kids to post-kids changes. An opportunity to accomplish something feels pretty nice. I worked in the basement today. I cut a bunch of baseboards to size, caulked some that are already up, and did some general cleaning up/putting things away. I am still enjoying the pantry, even if I have not put those remaining screws in the shelves to keep them from being able to be pulled off! We need to keep plugging along and do what we can when we can. I see a lot of new shows are coming on this week that look interesting. Good thing we have a TV in the basement so that we can work down here and still see the shows I think I have to watch. :-)

I don't usually discuss work on here, but I have to say with the looming cuts it definitely puts a black cloud over the job. Since the buyout was offered, folks had til last Wednesday to decide if they wanted to sign up for it. They still have 45 days to sign the paperwork with 7 days before the decision is for sure valid and complete. Thus we are looking at two month for all this to shake out while others have to wait to see how many take it and to see what their individual fate holds. That is not so fun! I guess you have to just roll with life and think that if it happens, it is all in God's plan for you. I do believe in fate and the fact that everyone has a plan before them. I still have to say that I will be bumming since my severance would of been 42 weeks pay had I signed up versus 14 that it would be instead.

The boys are at Kolene, Michael, & Carsen's house. I think they are quite happy to be there. They enjoy their time with them and it is good for the cousins to spend some time together. We need to have Carsen over. We need to invite Koda over more since he lives local especially. Since his siblings are older it is nice for him to spend time with some kids his own age! Speaking of, all three of these little guys are in pre-school now! They all seem to like it from what I hear.

We have busy weekends coming up it seems. Next weekend, Dan and Michael are going to the Michigan game while us gals and the grandsons go out for Kristin's birthday! The following weekend is the Pumpkinfest in Zeeland along with the reception for a friend at work that is getting married, and after that is the Goose festival in Fennville. Corbin is also doing Saturday morning swimming lessons. Case will go back after Corbin is done. (I staggered them for our own ease.) I do water aerobics on Monday's and sometimes Wednesday's. Body Balance class on Tuesday and Thursday along with walking on both Saturday and Sunday. We are definitely not bored in the house now. Have a great week!

A few pictures for you......

The happy Couple

What a nice picture of the new bride and groom!! Hard to believe #4 is married. Life goes fast and I guess since I am the oldest, I realize how much this really is the case. Sometimes I am sad already about the boys growing up and they are not even in school yet. Holy Cats, I think that is a little premature on my part, but I can't say there is anything better than this little voice talking to you and being just as serious as they can be. Case told me yesterday I could not do something and I asked him why not and he said, " Cuz you'll make me sad!" Then he said, "Just joking!" It is hard to believe I am having conversations with the little guy these days. So many good days to come.....or at least I choose to believe it will keep getting even better.

Summer is almost over

Wow, can you believe we are closer to Christmas than the beginning of the year?!? It seems like just yesterday that the snow would not go away and we were all praying for summer. We had a good Labor Day weekend for the most part. We bought a camper (pop-up) on Saturday. We got a great deal on it and I am quite happy with it. It is a '96 with a 13' box so there is plenty of room in it. We may try to go camping one weekend yet in September. As long as we bring the boys warm Jammie's and a little ceramic heater we should be all good.

Our washing machine stopped working on Sunday. It would not drain, but we figured out that the thing thought the lid was not closed and if we put pressure on the piece it worked just fine. Therefore, we doctored it up with a little tape for now. You can't see it from the outside of the washer so we will probably take our time getting it fixed. I was able to FINALLY get my shelving all put up in my pantry. It is about 6 feet wide and maybe 4 feet deep. I put 5 shelves up that can be adjusted, however I am putting screws in the shelves to keep them from being able to be slid off the brackets. That said, adjusting it may not be that easy!! I am just tickled pink to have some ORGANIZED shelving to be able to put some of my stuff up out of the way and for sure into a "finished" room. I just wish I could transfer the thing to my kitchen. Will write more soon, I have to get to bed before I turn into a pumpkin. :-)

Case's 2 year old pics.....

Here are a few pictures from Case's two year old pictures I had taken. They are not bad for being the store click and shoot. I mainly like going there because I end up buying like 9 or 10 sheets and I end up getting the CD with all the pics on them for free. This makes it so I can do what I want with them with I like. We had a few family ones done today and Case was very grumpy in them. Wait til you see his scowl. He did not want to sit still and just did not cooperate at all!!! I can tell he is two and he has a lot of mommy and daddy's attitude. Corbin did okay but could of been a bit better also. We had them done at 1pm which was way too close to nap time I think.

We are having my sister's rehearsal dinner here tonight for her wedding. I got my dress back on Monday and the lady did not charge me all that much and did a wonderful job with it. If you ever need a seamstress let me know. I will definitely utilize this lady again!!! The dress looks really nice. (I am glad I get to stand next to the pregnant bridesmaid for sure though!) haha More to come......

Ice Cream faces....what's not to love!!!

As you can see they did a fabulous job enjoying their ice cream. Dan let Corbin get Blue Moon and Case had something called All-American in the red, white, and blue coloring which as you can see turned out mostly blue. Corbin was pleased as he could be to show off his dirty face, while Case was as cool as a cucumber in his shades. (I will have to look twice at this to remember which kid it is, since their eyes are their most telling feature of who is who.)

We are gearing up for a camping trip! My BFF Lynn is nice enough to let us borrow their pop-up so we will be going up North. My work picnic is at MI's Adventure so we will fit that into our camping trip as well. Then we have the week to get some things accomplished and before you know it it will be that time......yep, Court's wedding!!! Can't wait to post some of those pictures. The boys will be sooooooo STINKING cute in their little suit's. By the time August is over I will probably be ready for fall. (I am excited for September and October, they are my favorite months!) More to come, have to think about going to bed!

Corbin around 2 years old

I thought I would post this picture of Corbin when he was around Case's age. They sure look similar. It is so funny to see how they have both changed over their short lives. I really think they will look fairly close as they grow up. Dan and I have lots of similarities as well in our looks. Both have the blue eyes and the lighter hair (both toe-heads as kids). I have input the info that tells you how the boys will be and both have come back around 6'2", which I think is a pretty good height for a guy.

Who stole my Baby?!?!

I am not sure where my baby went and who replaced him with this big boy, but here he is! We celebrated the two year old birthday with a trip to the Binder Park Zoo on Sunday and on Monday we went to Saugatuck for a picnic lunch and walked around in town. The boys finally decided they liked ice cream, yes, my strange children thought for the longest time they DID NOT like ice cream. Pictures to come!

Good Days for playing in the water

We decided to buy a little pool for the boys......and I do mean all the boys. Daddy goes in most of the time that the boys do. With the 80 some degree days coming up, I might have to get in and play as well. It is between 24-30 inches deep and is like 13 feet I think. It has a little filter so that keeps it from getting gross which is REALLY NICE!!
Dan lays on the raft and then Corbin and Case dump him off it and laugh like there is no tomorrow. It is really cute to watch them play together. It is one of those times when you hope the fun will create memories that will carry forward a lifetime. We also borrowed our neighbors tag along bike. It is one of those with no front wheel that you connect to your bike and then he can sit on the seat and hold on to the handle bars and pedal. I think it makes Corbin feel like a big kid. He actually started riding his bike a bit, with the training wheels of course. He is kind of a chicken so we need to start working with him to learn to ride the bike with the training wheels off. We got a letter from the school today telling us Corbin's teacher and when classroom visits are so it was a quick reminder school is just around the corner. We are hoping to have some fun in there before school starts again, maybe a camping trip or something, a lot of weekends are booked so it will make it tight....... More to come, have a great day!!

Busy Summer Days

Having little ones with summer birthdays help to fill up the summer time. We enjoyed Corbin's birthday with some family time both at home and at Grandma's. We went to Chucky Cheese, Crazy Bounce and took cousin Koda, the zoo, and the beach!! We definitely have been busy. The house needs some attention though with how much we have been out and about!

Corbin told me he wanted a tractor cake for his birthday. That was the one big important item that I needed to make sure was carried out for his birthday. He was a bit of a stinker and told a couple folks, "This is just what I did not want!" I guess I should be mortified, but little kids say things and at the end of the day I would rather him grow to be a person that can say what he is thinking, rather then not speak it and be stressed out or taken advantage of.

The boys have stayed up late and this has caused them to be a bit grouchy, but they are starting to get back into a decent bedtime. Corbin got bunk beds and that made it so Case got the race car bed. This means we took the crib down. How strange it seems to not have a baby bed up! I guess my little Caser Racer is getting to be a big boy as well. He got up today and said, "I get up mama!" He was so dang funny that he was all proud of himself that he could get up and come on in my room with free rein to go where he pleased. A bit lately I hear him and Corbin bickering and then Case comes in and declares, "Corbin naughty mama, he not listening!" Corbin also tells Case to sit in the chair so apparently everyone in the house thinks they are the boss! These darn men, how long will it take for them to understand, if mama is not happy, no one is!! :-)

It is Birthday Time

Corbin turns 4 years old this Sunday. It is hard to fathom that this time has flown by as quickly as it has!!! We are probably doing Chucky Cheese, maybe a movie, and some crazy bounce time on Monday. Dan and I both have Monday off, we take a vacation day for each kids birthday since we have summer birthday's we figure we will spend their birthday with them for years to come!

The boys finished swimming lessons this week. They did OK, truthfully Corbin was ready for an older kid class but since he had not done anything I thought I would start with the parent - tot class. I need to see if I can get him in the older kid class, but I don't know if there are any openings. I checked the Holland Aquatic center but found that to be quite expensive I think.

I have been quite busy with classes and work. I finish a 12 week health class I have been taking at Zeeland Hospital this month so that will free up some time on Tuesday's and I only have another month left of aqua tone. Then the pool is closed for a week or two to clean. I will go to a balance ball class on Tuesday's and Thursday's thru August though. Trying to keep active and improve my overall health!!

Case is very cute and really naughty lately. He is into everything. I was in the shower the other morning and he came in the bathroom and put my pumice stone in the toilet. Thank goodness he does not flush. He has actually went the bathroom on the toilet a few times so I think he is real interested in it. We should try the potty training gig.....in all our spare time!!! :-)

More to come!!

Funnies.......

Corbin really listens to what I say....unfortunately! Today we were sitting on the couch together discussing something when all of a sudden he says to me, "What in the hades you think that is all about?" Totally something I would say!

Earlier today Corbin got up from his nap and his hair was all over the place. I said, "Corbin, your hair is just afright!" He looks at me and says, "Mom your hair is just a fried too!" Tonight we were driving home from Grand Haven and he is singing, "She thinks my tractor's sexy, it really turns around!" Too bad the words are it really turns her on! I think I like his version better.

Case is getting to be quite the bossy little dude these days. He points at me and tells me exactly what he wants. He is a bit of a stinker. He won't keep his shoes on in the car and gets mad when he don't get his way. We went to the bank this morning and he got a tootsie roll. After eating it, he tells me, "More tootsie roll!" I told him I did not have anymore and he was not a happy camper about that. He kept yelling from the back seat "More Tootsie Roll!!!!!"

These kids are so fun, but so exhausting all in the same breath. How does that work? One more day and it is time for work again, my how fast life goes!!!

Can't have just one....

In order to get one "nice" picture of the kids, you have to give them at least one for joking around, especially if Cousin Carsen is involved. I am starting to think you have to let this kid make his silly faces so he gets it out of his system. Little does he know when he graduates or gets married some of this "interesting poses" will show up in slide shows or on a board of pics. He is silly, Corbin needs to get his attitude out of the way quick, and if you can get Case's attention it is a feat in itself. They were a little antsy at the fireworks but did okay. They stayed up way late and were not so pleasant this afternoon, but each got in a 3-4 hour nap which helped them with a much needed attitude adjustment! I think we are going up to Grand Haven tonight to check out the boats going by and to walk the boardwalk. Just some nice family time and a little entertainment for the kids. :-)

Case*A*Nova

July 4th was a fun day. I did s0me work around the house, which always makes me feel good to get something accomplished. Then we went to my mom's for a family picnic. We ate, went for a walk, then off to see the Fireworks. We ran into my best friend and her family. Case and her little girl are only 6 months apart. (Even though Case makes her look like a little peanut!) Let's just say they got along quite well. I guess when I remembered 4th of July fireworks as kind of a romantic time for canoodling with your boy, this is not what I had in mind!! :-) I guess Case has that affect on the ladies. Daddy told him not to settle down with one just quite yet....lol. Little did he know this little lady was thinking the same thing!!! As us women think....So many men, so little time!"

My little chatter box!

We went to the Beach last Saturday with Aunt Kolene, Aunt Kristin, and Cousin Carsen. (I got FRIED!!) Case thought that was grand. He kept telling me "Carsen Mi Weer" He really pronunciates the last syllable. He is talking so stinking much. We had watermelon tonight and he told me he wanted more fruit. I was teasing him saying you want more what???? He said, " More fruit in dat fridgerator" His teeth must be really bothering him because he has been a major whiner and he has not been sleeping well. He bit Corbin today at the sitters and got in trouble and put to bed. Boy was he mad at the sitter, Lori, he would not even tell her goodbye today. He definitely has an moody streak. He got mad at me and gave me a look and crossed his arms this weekend too. He does not want to stay in bed at night time these days either. We really need to get him in a big boy bed. We should really do the bunk bed thing!

Corbin is so sweet, but boy does he make Dan nuts. Those two will argue in the years to come is my guess. I think they are a lot alike so that must be why I enjoy them so much. Corbin said he wants to go to the waterpark for his birthday so we may go to MI adventure. Since we got a State park sticker we will have to go to the beach a few times this summer also. It will be nice to go walk around and maybe even try to get a few cute pictures of the little tykes.

I am definitely looking forward to having Friday off!! I went to water aerobics tonight and I was really tired. (That could not have anything to do with Case waking me up at 5:30am could it?) I have a class Tuesday night and may walk with Kristin and Emily if I get out of work on time on Thursday. I have to get my haircut then as well. Boy it certainly is busy! In a week or so the boys start swimming lessens as well. That will be fun for them. Anyway, I have to think about bed, I am turning into a pumpkin. :-)

A little Family Fun

We spent yesterday going to the HMI (Herman Miller) picnic and then to the Berlin Raceway. The boys were definitely a bit small to sit at the raceway, but all in all they had a good time I think. The picnic was fun and you definitely get more food than you need!! :-) Here are some pictures. The boys went on inflatables and pony rides at the picnic. They had lunch, cotton candy, elephant ears, ice cream, and a few other things as well. Also, I finally cut the boys hair. The family was chomping at the bit at how long their hair had gotten. The last picture is of us after I cut their hair. They definitely are not fans of the haircut. More to come. Have a great week!

By the way.....this is for Kolene!!!

Happy Future Powder Days!!!! Maybe yours will be something different, let's hope not messier! Rest assured Carsen will help out "somehow" :-)

Show off.......

We had Courtney's Bridal shower this last weekend and it went well. She got a lot of nice gifts and she looked really cute.....even Lynn commented on how cute you looked Court! Corbin and Case spent the day with Daddy at the zoo. When Corbin got home he had a hay day flirting with the girls. I don't know what Daddy fed him but boy was he full of it! I took the picture of him "posing" with a distant cousin Amanda that Corbin continued to talk about for a few days. He liked her black headband apparently, but kept telling us her "black hair." He definitely enjoyed himself. Case came right home and took a snooze as he was exhausted. He liked the Bears and told me they say "Rrrrrrrr" We continue to challenge his vocabulary to see what he can and can not say. He is quite good at Paleontologist, did I even spell that right?!?! Mississippi and Engineer are not even a challenge. Has ta Lu ego and Que Pasha were the challenges tonight and no, I have no idea how to spell them, just say them!! Case is a handful these days, but he is just adorable in the same breath. I have been enjoying him so much the last few months. I am excited about some fun summer outings this year. MI Adventure, Beach, Herman Miller Picnic, Court's wedding, Berlin Raceway, & hopefully many others. I have water aerobics on Monday night and a class at Zeeland Hospital on Tuesday's for 2 hours (Nutrition/Fitness). After the 4th of July I have Thursday class as well. We have many outings for Court's wedding and the boys also have swimming lessons in July. Corbin's Birthday is in July and Case in August!! Lots going on.........now just to figure out when to schedule in laundry, yard work, and cleaning.

We get to find out Thursday if we get a baby niece or nephew and I am excited to hear. I am not sure Carsen is excited to know, but we shall see. As long as he does not smother the new baby like Corbin tried you will be okay. It will really be fun for them to see Carsen interact with the new little one. He may be mad about having to share the spotlight, but for sure if that baby is not around he will be quite dismayed.

Work is busy and I am learning quite a bit. It is frustrating for me to not know exactly what I am doing. It is hard to go from the pro to the new guy, but I guess if you don't take on new roles you never grow and learn more. It will be good, I just have to be patient. It takes time to figure everything out. I just hope I don't let my boss down and am actually more of a help to him than a hindrance. :-)

Have a great rest of the week! We have HMI picnic this Saturday and probably going to Berlin Raceway with the boys. We shall see if they like it, something new for them to experience.

Things to smile about.......

So many reasons to smile and realize my blessings in this life. Case is so stinking cute these days. He is wearing Daddies shoes in the picture and is just pleased as can be that he has them on. Dan took him to the pet store to look around tonight and he saw a little tortoise. He went over to the glass and kept saying, "Hi baby tortoise" A lady stopped to watch Case and told Dan it was the cutest thing she had ever seen. He is almost speaking in full sentences these days. It is amazing how well he talks, but then again the gift to gab runs pretty strong here!

Corbin has on his Valentines day hat in the picture above. He loved that stinking hat and even wore it one day to Meijers. He was walking around singing like nobodies business about as loud as you can imagine. He does not care though, he is going to do what he wants!!! I think he gets that from Daddy. Some lady at Target asked him to sit down in the cart tonight and the little stinker told her, "No!" He then proceeded to give her.........THE LOOK. I think Corbin looks a lot like me, but he has a lot of Dan's personality. Case, I think, is the opposite. Maybe that is why I think he can be a little pain in the butt sometimes!! My mom always said I was a stinker!!

Lastly, but definitely not least, I was bickering a bit with Dan the other night and "we" just seemed to be "off" when it came to getting along. I was mad at him and then I started listening to what he was telling the boys. He was reading a magazine with tractors in it and telling the boys a story about a blue tractor and a bunch of green tractors. He was talking about the green tractors not liking the blue one because he was different, but then the blue one saves the day and everyone likes him then. I have to say it was the cutest thing I ever seen/heard. Sometimes something just strikes you and you think you are at a moment in time where you could never love your spouse more. However, before you know it, another moment occurs that you think/feel the same way.

Last weekend, my college roommate lost her mother to Cancer. I know family matters and the rest is just details. I am so happy that everyone in my family is healthy, I know some folks have some things they have to face, but at the end of the day all will be good. May your days be better than the last and may you wake up each day to look in the mirror and think, "Gosh, life is good!" Take care all!

Spring went FAST!!!!

Here are just a few showing the fun things we did this spring. Graduation, Birthday Parties, Tulip Time, and lots, lots, lots more!!! Hopefully we can get going with the posts a bit more these days!!!

3.5

We took Corbin in for a physical today. We somehow got off track. This doctor's office never sends you reminders or anything, which I don't like but anyway..... Corbin was 3'3.5" and 35 pounds. He is around the 50% for both height and weight. I asked if the height and weight percentages were suppose to be about the same and they said yes. I guess if they are about the same then their BMI is about where is should be, not too high, not too low! He is just perfect! :-)

I have to say a good visit to the doctor's office always makes you feel kind of good to know our little guy is where he should be. Of course the Dr. asked Corbin who was the patient today (we all 4 went) and Corbin looked at her and said, "Case!" He has it all figured out. We went dress shopping with Courtney and crew and I was actually amazed at how good Corbin was. I think he saves the naughtiness for at home, but I guess I would rather deal with it at home than out and about.

Our little Case is saying more everyday. The kid is so sweet and lovable but such a stinker at the same time. He was in the bath with Corbin and he kept standing up. I said, "Case, sit down!" He points his little finger at me and tells me to "Sit down!!" He would shake his whole hand at me with his pointer finger sticking out for each word. It was really cute, but that will only last so long....... He really is getting pretty decent at the two and three word sentences. He told me the other day when I was holding, "I want down" and of course we hear almost daily, "I go outside!" He wears his boots all over the house every chance he gets and he is quite dismayed when I need to take them off.

I have taken some pictures, but I need to actually download them and add some to the blog. I have been bad, but it is always so busy. I left work to take Corbin to the Doctor, then Dan wanted to eat out at Crazy Horse since he had a $10 off coupon for his birthday that expires on the 31st. I then came home for a while, only to go to work around 8 or 8:30 and I left a bit after midnight. As crazy as it sounds it put me in the best mood. I kind of like being there by myself because it is quiet and I am getting some things accomplished which for me is a huge feel good kind of thing. I always say, if my hubby wants to make my day forget the candy and flowers....just clean the house and I will be tickled pink!!!!

Well, my friends I think I need to go to bed. Morning always comes way too early, but any alternatives don't sound too good if you know what I mean!

More tractors!

So Corbin has an assignment from school to make a scrapbook page all about him. I asked him what he thought we should put on it. No hesitation was needed....TRACTORS!!! I told him okay and asked what else would be good. What did I hear.......Cranes, Excavators, Front End Loaders, Diggers.....etc. You think this kid has a fixation with all things that go or what. This morning he woke up and told me, "I did not know Grandma had a truck" then while rubbing his eyes he tells me he is erasing his dreams. What a card!!! Yesterday he went to Meijers with Dan and sang his little heart out. He sang 1,2, 3 like a bird and sing and then itsy bitsy spider to the cashier. She told him he sings a lot and his response? "I know, I like to sing. I sing to Mommy, Daddy, and Baby Case and they like it cuz I sing good." Lately he gets upset with us and tells us he won't play with us anymore because we are naughty! I find this extremely comical. He is serious as he can be, but how do you take all 36lbs of him serious?

Baby Case is putting together 2 word sentences and is becoming very blatant about what he wants. He is fighting with Corbin over trucks and tractors and I will hear him say, "My tractor! My Truck!" When I met up with Courtney last week to check out the wedding locale, Corbin says, "Where did mama go?" Case then walked all over the house saying, "Mama go, Mama go?"

I am telling you all now, go buy stock in the Chiquita Banana company. (Bananas!) These kids want to eat bananas for morning lunch and dinner. We go through two big bunches a week. I am trying to find some new dinners because I swear we eat the same ole food every day. Last night I made a tuna casserole with peas in it, some cheese, and durkee french fried onions on top. The liked it and both had seconds. Not so much on salad though, which is something we have not had for a long time around here! Beef Roast sandwiches tomorrow I think. Maybe meatloaf tonight, although I have never made it and can't guarantee it will be good. At least it is mixing it up some and Dan is overjoyed because he gets a break from cooking!

We have enough snow now. We need it to warm up a bit so we can all go sledding. We bought a big inter tube that we can go on with Case so I am excited to see what he thinks. They both have snow pants, but neither Dan and I do. Maybe now is a good time to go and see about some cheap ones at Kmart or something! It would make snow blowing and sledding a little more fun! Anyway, time to run.

Birthday Party

As many of you know, Dan's birthday was Sunday the 13th. Dan went and picked up the boys from my mom's yesterday and when he gets home he proceeds to pull the van in the garage. Corbin starts yelling at Dan and tells him he can not park in the garage. When Dan inquires to the reasoning, Corbin tells him, "Where we gonna have your birthday party if you park here daddy?" We had the summer birthday parties in the garage, so Corbin is quite certain that is the party area. Then Corbin is all concerned where Dan is going to put all his gifts! It is funny to see how the mind processes data, even as early as age 3! They figure out that birthday's are for gifts, or at least they are sure they are. I come home and the first thing Corbin says to me, "Where is Daddy's tractor cake?" He had been talking about it all week long, so of course I had to go buy a cake and put a couple JD tractors on it. I think Corbin may of enjoyed Dan's birthday more than anyone else.

Dan was kind of naughty this year. I bought him a gift for his birthday right before Christmas that I put up till his birthday. What does Dan do? He takes his Christmas money and buys what I already bought him. I still gave that gift to him and let HIM return it! I am glad we have summer birthdays for the kids. They birthday's so close to Christmas make gift giving hard.

Corbin started school last week. Day one went extremely well and he was happy to go. However, day 2 was not GOOD AT ALL!!!!! He stayed up late the night prior and was so extremely tired that he could not stop crying. Dan was out of work at 1pm so Dan had to go get him. We are hoping tomorrow will be good. We are stopping the afternoon naps and hoping if we can get him sleeping a little earlier that will nip the problem in the bud. I guess we shall see after tomorrow how it goes. More to come.....have a great week all.

Quotes...............

If you really listen to the things you say around your house it can be amusing. Famous sayings at our house these days would be.........

Case, No Shopping!
No Dumpster diving!/Get out of that TRASH!!
We are gonna have to let you go from the organization!
Shhhhhh......It's quiet time!
Swiper, no swiping!

As you probably guessed these mostly pertain to our sweet baby Case. His little hands grab anything within reach on the table and counters, along with getting into the cabinets lately. He is always in the trash can and if he finds food, he thinks it is supper time! I swear you would think we don't feed the kid. I usually figure out he has gotten into the garbage when I hear a big, "MMMMM, Yummy!" out of his little mouth. (He is putting together two word sentences these days.) Old cheese and left over banana Corbin threw away are among some of the garbage can delicacies! We all are threatened with the termination deal when we are not behaving correctly thanks a Dan's sense of humor.

The quiet comments would be for our sweet little Corbin who has a mouth that is about 10 time larger than his little body these days. The kid just is not quiet. He starts pre-school this coming week so I am quite excited for him. I think he will like it, although it will start a lot of running around for us as I have to get him at lunch and take him. Dan will have to take 15 minutes vaca time to go get him since his work will not let him swing his time by 10-15 minutes. At least they will let him take the few minutes vacation time. He should have lots of stories to tell us about once he goes to school. He already knows one of the teachers names is "Mrs. Dobbin" so that is a start. I am not sure how he will like us leaving him there, but it will be good for his social skills and a little structure will be great for him.

Christmas was good except for a quick bout with the flu, but all turned out okay. We were healthy for Christmas day and I went back to work on the 2nd feeling healthy. Dan goes back tomorrow and has to be there at 5am. I am guessing when the alarm goes off he will be wishing it was a 7am week, but at least he gets out early and can have a little time to himself. He starts 2 classes tomorrow as well. Business Law and some type of Computer class so hopefully it will go well. Once these are completed he will have 1 left and it will be graduation time!! YEAH!!!!!

Hopefully soon I will be able to post some pics from Christmas. I have not really developed much these days. I still need to have some pics from Case's birthday in August printed. I know....I am slow. So much going on these days. Take care!!