Health is everything!

There is alot to be said about ones health. To be be healthy is everything. I had the stomach bug for 8 dreadful days. I finally went to the doctor who said NO solid foods for the next few days so on the liquid diet I went and to my relief it helped as later that night I felt a bit better and by morning I felt alot better. I still am eating very little as I am scared to death to start the whole debacle over. Trying to find the bright spot in all of my misery I found I lost some weight as all my pants are big and I fit into a pair that I hadn't since Ryan was born!! This is nice and all but I would never want to experince it again no matter how much weight I lost!!

On a more important note, I would like all of you to pray for my Aunt Vicki. She undergoing a liver and kidney transpant as I write this and she and family could use all the prayers she can get. It's a big operation and recovery. By the grace of god she recieved a liver and kidney from a donor, It is a true Christmas miracle and blessing from god.

Down and Out!

This past week has been a painful one and I hope to not repeat it EVER! I ended up with the stomach flu and have been down and out since last Wed. and I still am not 100%. I am able to eat a little and keep things down so I am delighted. Poor Ryan has now caught the bug so I am watching him closely. Everything in comes out so I am worried about him getting dehydrated. Ben has been queasy and tired but so far so good overall and Keaton hasn't had any problems as yet so I am crossing my fingers. All this sickness as put me behind on Christmas shopping, housework and everything else. I have alot to do over the next few days so I hope Santa brings me a new body!! This one is worn out!! I hope all of you are healthy!!

Winter is finally here in Colorado!

For awhile it has not felt like winter as it's been in the 70's forever but the table has turned and it finally feels like December. This past Fri. was a white out, it was so foggy we couldn't see the neighbors house across the street, then mid day it began sleeting and then the snow began and it kept coming off and on until last night. Thankfully we braved the weather Friday night and got our Christmas tree. It was our snowed in weekend activity and it really made it feel like Christmas. I haven't had a real Christmas tree in years and I can say it smells sooooo good and it's beautiful. Decorating this year was pretty funny as Keaton was great at it and Ryan was a maniac. He stuffed the ornaments into the tree or hurled them as hard as he could. I think we lost quit a few in the tree somewhere. It was comically yet a little frustrating to be truthful. Our tree looks a little funny as the lower half of the tree has only lights and very few ornaments as Ryan has removed or I have so he couldn't. Keaton loves to turn the tree on the first thing in the morning and circles around it telling me we only have one box under the tree. Yes, one box!!! I cant put much else out as yet as Ryan thinks ripping paper is fun so any gift under the tree that is wrapped is a goner. I am going to slowly put some out and hope he grows tired of the activity but I doubt it! It really does feel like Christmas now with all the snow. It's absolutely beautiful outside, and everyone is in the spirit with lights on their homes and their yards decked out. I am hoping we get to see Santa Clause this weekend that is if the next snow storm doesn't keep us home.

Santa is watching!

Keaton is really into Santa this year and we have been known to use this to our advantage when he is acting naughty. We tell him Santa is watching to see if your bad or good, so you better be good for goodness sakes! Well he showed us how smart he is by asking if we could shut the blinds. When we asked him why he stated " I want to hit Ryan but I don't want Santa to see me!" Hmmm..... I think we are in trouble!! Ben and I thought this was pretty funny, however we did not shut the blinds and he had to restrain himself from hitting his brother. What will we do once Christmas is over?

Incredible Sunset!

Just wanted to share the beautiful sunset the kids and I witnessed this evening. More pics to enjoy in our photo collection site. Will write more later if I ever have more than a second of free time.

A night alone

Well as many of you know Ben and I have had little time alone without the kids but this past Sat. was an exception and it was delightful to say the least. To start of I want to say that we love the kids more than life its self but we haven't had a night together alone without the kids since Keaton was born so the night was needed and enjoyed! Thanks to grandma and grandpa De Young as they decided to have a all grandchild sleepover which provided this well deserved and appreciated night off.

Ben and I went to a Sushi place, ate and drank in peace and didn't worry one bit that it was taking awhile to get our food as we had no reason to rush. No children to start squirming or screaming, no food being thrown (Ryan's favorite thing to do when he is done sitting in his chair). We ate to much and drank a little and then headed to do some Christmas shopping, hit the liquor store came home made some drinks and watched a great movie. If you haven't seen Knocked up you have to rent it. It's hilarious. (FYI:Not to be viewed with children around!) All in all a wonderful relaxing evening with my honey which just reminds me even more why I love him so much!

Alarming!!!

Yesterday was a very chilly day here we even had some snow early on which we enjoyed watching as we ate breakfast. So outside playtime was not an option. So I made a call to the neighbor up the street and we decided to head to story time at the library! Keaton and Ryan both were enjoying their library time but it was time to go as lunch time was drawing near and I couldn't take chasing Ryan one more minute around the library!!! Kate and I decided to kill a little more time at Mc Donalds play land and than get lunch. That should wear the kids out, take care of lunch and head home for nap time. We started to get ready to leave the library as I had Keaton get his coat on and I told him we are leaving now to go to Mc Donald's. Well I guess he was excited as he headed unbenounced to me for the door that was right behind me with the sign that read Fire emergency exit only -Alarm will sound!!!!!!! I was putting on Ryan's coat when the ungodly, load alarm went off and I turned around to see my little Keaton like a deer in headlights. He was scared to death and on the verge of tears. I was mortified myself as I couldn't believe he had set off the alarm. Thank god the man sprinted back in seconds and shut it off and stated that it happens all the time in the kids area and not to worry about it. He didn't seem like anything had even happened. Kate was laughing as that had happened to her before with 2 of her kids!!! Yikes! Needless to say I don't think Keaton will ever touch a door with anything red on it ever again. Lesson learned the heard way (I hope)!

Big boy!

OK, Ryan is growing up way to fast these days and I just had to share what the little tike has added to the list of his accomplishment at 17months. He has been chatty but now is communicating more of his needs which is nice. My favorite of his new words is juice for wanting anything to drink. I'll take it as at least I know he is thirsty and wants to drink. He is also starting to take a liking to dinosaurs and trains. He now plays trains with Keaton without destroying the track and having his big brother want to kick him out of the room and as he plays he has started to say "CHOO CHOO"!! He of course adores his big brother and has really taken a liking to dinosaurs recently. He loves carrying them around and saying dino sa (dinosaur). I couldn't believe the little guy could say the word, and not only does he say it but growls afterwards. Pretty darn cute. He has really come into his own lately and he has such a great personality. He still has the serious look he always has but boy once you get him going he is a hoot. Another accomplishment is that he walked down the stairs standing up yesterday by himself (I was right there of course just in case he needed me), which scares me to death. He use to be so laid back and now is a fearless go getter! Yikes!

Now for the big one! I know this was probably a fluke but it made me happy none the less. He pooped on the potty today!! Yes, you read that right. I noticed he was making a funny face and said "Do you need to go potty?" and he walked into the bathroom and put up the toilet lid so I went with it and took the diaper off and sat him on there and to my amazement HE POOPED!!! It probably wont happen again until he's three but I was excited that it happened and it was one less poppy diaper I had to change!!!

I don't know if Keaton is so big now that I forget how old he was when he did all these first but for some reason seeing my youngest baby do them amazes me and saddens me a little as my boys are growing up to fast.

Twick or Tweet

Well after long days on Tuesday and Wednesday which if you don't know about I'll get to later Halloween night finally arrived. Trick or Treating has been highly anticipated around our house for the last week so as soon as the sun went down Keaton began to bounce off the walls. Cousins Skyler and Cadence came over to join in the fun so lots of energy was in our house to say the least. Keaton couldn't wait to get into his Kangaroo costume, I only wish he would be so eager to get dressed like that every morning. Life would be SO easy!! We made it up our street, down the next street and back up the other side of our street and called it a night. Keaton scored so much loot his bag was so heavy he had to take Ryan's bag to finish trick or treating. He loved ringing the door bell and say Trick or Treat. So much that he REFUSED to skip a house that had a light on. It was freezing out but he was toasty in his costume so he didn't care and was bound and determined to score as much candy as possible. Ryan was indifferent to the whole thing. He looked adorable and just rode in the wagon and would get out and lumber up the sidewalks to the door and stand there and smile or look confused. I do have to say by the end he started holding his treat bag and carrying it to the doors. The best part (this is my opinion) was when we got home grandma had made hot Chocolate with marshmallows. Yummy.... Overall a very fun night, now what to do with all this candy. YIKES!

Hot and Cold!!!

We'll last Sunday it snowed for the entire day, Keaton loved it and personally I thought it was beautiful to watch. It was a great day to just curl up in a blanket and drink a cup of hot cocoa. Keaton however from the moment he woke up thought we should be out running around in it. We held him off till about 10am and we ventured out. It wasn't alot but it was enough to push with his trucks and make snow balls so who's being picky right. The boys played until their fingers were about to fall off. Poor Ryan wouldn't keep gloves on so his fingers were frozen. We finally got them in amongst lots of protest, got dry clothes and a cup of hot chocolate to warm everyone up. The snow stuck around the entire day, until around 5:30pm when the clouds cleared, the sun came out and with in the hour most of the snow was gone. The next day 76 degrees!!!! Yes, you read that correctly. No wonder we have been sick around here. One minute it's snowing and the next it's warm enough to wear short!!! The rest of the past week was very warm in the high 70's so go figure. I never know what to dress the boys like anymore. I am finding layering means all of us having 4 or more different types of new coats. I find this crazy but necessary. I am not complaining even though it sounds like I am. It's great to have a beautiful snow grace us and then move out as quick as it came and be beautiful once again. Our bodies however don't understand the logic and continue to leave us with a runny nose to show their confusion.

Boo at the Zoo!

Last weekend was one of those weekends that you'd wish would never end but of course all good things come to a end but we had alot of fun while we could. Sat was a gorgeous day and we spent most of the day outside at the park and then we headed to the zoo. We became members of the zoo when we moved here and the kids just love the place which is not unexpected. For the next two weekends they have something called Boo at the Zoo (http://www.cmzoo.org/BATZ.html ). For those of you who are not familiar it is a wonderful things for kids of all ages to get in the Halloween spirit. It starts at sundown and the entire zoo is lite with lights. The animal exhibits are open and kids come in costumes ready to see their favorite animals and do some treat or treating if they want to. At each animal exhibit there is a treat station where someone is dressed up and handing out candy. They get candy, see animals what more could you ask for. What is also great is the animals are really active at night for the most part. Keaton's favorite was the hippo's, lioness and her two cubs and the kamodoo dragon. The boys looked so cute in there costumes and behaved wonderfully. Keaton walked the entire zoo and didn't complain one bit (amazing)!!!!!! Ben and I even had a wonderful time. We got great exercise, and really enjoyed the warm night and all the lights. The zoo sits on the side of a mountain so it looks over Colorado Springs so looking out at all the lights for as far as you could see was amazing and worth the trip in it's self. I have some pics of the boys and some animals in out photo collection so check them out. The boys are looking forward to Halloween next week. Keaton's class is having a party on Tues. and I am helping that day so it should be alot of crazy fun. Hope you are all getting into the spirit to and look forward to seeing some pics of all the little ones in costume.

New Pics

Not alot of time to write even though I have alot to write about but will get to that later. Just wanted to make sure you check out the new pics if you havent already. Some really cute ones of the boys.

Happy Birthday Grandma!!

What a fun night! Grandma De Young is having a birthday on Sunday the 14th (we wont share how old she is as ladies don't seem to like that so much) and boy did we have a fun family party! Grandma will be out of town on her actually birthday so we partied early. This was the first birthday I've shared with my mom since I was 18 or 19 and the first for the boys ever so we really enjoyed ourselves. Brandon's family, Trish and Joe were there.So lots of play partners for the boys. We had lots of yummy food, the boys played outside till dark, and to my dismay somehow grandmas presents started to become unwrapped before she got to them. Best of all there was chocolate cake and from what you'll see in the pics in our photo collections Ryan had a repeat of his first birthday!! It's not a party till there's cake everywhere RIGHT!

A bunch of Sickies! Achoo!

Since moving to Colorado not quit 4 months ago we have been sick a total of 4times. Colds have just been a normal part of our lives lately and I have to say I am tired of blowing, wiping, medicating and tolerating cranky, sick kids,husband and self. Everyone says it's our bodies adjusting to the new attitude and climate and being exposed to new germs that Keaton is bringing home from preschool. Whatever it is I pray we get it together and get back to normal. We were sick I believe 2 times last year and so far this year we have surpassed that by far. Not proud of that statistic.

Danger, Danger

OK, I guess I totally blocked out the memories of Keaton at Ryan's age. For good reason however!! To put it simply Ryan is just a plain danger to himself. I know it is part of his age but for gods sake I am going to be gray or back in school to get a doctors or nursing degree so I can take care of him from day to day. The child is hurting himself every time I turn around. He could be right in front of me or across the room and before I know it there is blood coming from somewhere. Lately the mouth has taken a beating. From falling while walking with a toy in his mouth to whacking his mouth on the windowsill to taking nose dives on concrete Ryan is just in need of a plastic bubble!! Last night after we took a delightful walk around the neighborhood and played outside for 45minutes it was time to go in and wouldn't you know it as we are walking into the garage Ryan tries to run so he wouldn't have to go in and whack!! He trips over his own feet and takes a chin dive onto the concrete. Chin met cement and cement won the battle! Boy did that one bleed and bleed and bleed. Not to mention the spot where he bit his tongue on the inside of his mouth. Blood was everywhere and I was cover, he was not so happy (lots of crying on this one folks) and poor Keaton wasn't sure what was going on. I hadn't seen a bleeder like that yet in my motherhood career. I manage to get the bleeding to stop, got us cleaned up and surveyed the damaged and boy it's not pretty. He looks ..... pitiful with a big bloody,bruised chin and I feel awful. I know I couldn't have done anything as it was a accidental fall but for the love of god, why do I feel like a lousy parent. I just pray that we can avoid all other accidents for as long as possible. I dont think I can take anymore this week.

The above picture of Ryan is his war wound. Not the greatest picture as he is not cooperative when taking pictures these days!

Where does time go?

Sorry time has flown by, and I haven't posted in a very long time. Sept. flew by and we are into the first fall season here in Colorado. I was expecting the weather to be cold by now but I was sorely mistaken. It's been beautiful here! It's been in the high 70's and low 80's. I am still wearing shorts, I couldn't ask for better weather. I know this will change but that isn't stopping me from loving every minute of the beautiful days.
Lots of growing up is going on here these days. Keaton loves preschool and is making friends and learning allot. I too have met some really nice people so preschool has been a blessing for both of us. Keaton is also really into using his imagination. He loves being a zoo keeper, Doctor, Dinosaur, chef, ect... I now get to be a partner in using his imagination which is fun for the first little while but when you have played a dinosaur who can only crawl on your hands and knees for 20minutes it starts to become more than any grown woman can take!! It's been so cute to watch him come into his own. I am finding that he uses alot of sayings that I use and hearing them come out of his little mouth cracks me up. My favorites are " You scared me to death!" "You need to make a choice, is it going to be a good choice or a not so good choice, Hugh!" "I don't have the time or patients for this, mom!" Those are just a few of his delightful sayings. He also has gotten a few from Ben such as the one he used yesterday. I have to say I am not so proud of this but it is kind of funny (as long as he never says the word again till he is grown!!). "Look mom, another damn fly is in the house. I hate those damn flies!!!" Yes folks that is what he said. I almost fell over. I kept a straight face and proceeded to as where he had heard this about flies and he said " Daddy always says it when he sees a fly!" Hmmmmm..... I think he better keep his feelings about flies to himself.
Also everything is about the right or the left. Ben and I have always made a point to use right or left with him while doing shoes, getting dressed and whatever else and now it has finally paid off. He seems to have mastered knowing his right from his left. He points this out now all the time. While I am driving he points out what things are on the right and left. He randomly will share what hand he is using or what foot his shoe is on. I find this fascinating as I know adults who don't know their right from their left. Time is also something that he is working on. We have use time references since he was a toddler to let him know when we were leaving or how much time he has left before we move on to something else . Well know he is giving us the time. My favorite, " No mommy, I have 10 more minutes not 5!"
Not so sure I like him using time!


Ryan is growing by leaps and bounds too. He is really chatty and into everything. He follows Keaton around trying to do whatever he does. He has become very playful. Making animal noises when he sees animals and my favorite is growling when he sees dinosaurs. I wonder where he gets that!!! He has figured out that he can climb about anything. He loves getting up and down off the couch, chairs and all the things he shouldn't!! He at least is more careful than Keaton was at this age. Keaton use to hurl himself from the tallest point where Ryan does have some sense and is cautious most of the time. He is really using words now and lots of gibber jabber that I cant understand but it sure is cute. Here are a few of his latest things he is saying right now are MILK ( this is great as I know when he was a drink),juice, some, more, down and done. He is using a spoon and fork really well and is a great eater but a very, very messy eater. He is doing pretty well with his cup but would prefer the boob if he had the choice. Weaning is going well, only nurses at night and sometimes in the morning. Before long things will dry up and he will want the cup only as he wont be getting much as the well will be dry. Everyone has been amazed that I have nursed this long and I am also but it just worked out this way and he is pretty much weaning himself so I am going with it.

Well there is the update on our little tykes, I'll try to stay more current.

Just a Mommy!

Well as many of you moms out there already know motherhood is life changing but I had no idea I would also have my status as a female changed. I no longer am a girl according to Keaton. I am just A MOMMY! In a conversation with my grown man at the age of three about who is a boy and who is a girl and so forth we get to the question of what is mommy? The answer is "OHHH, your just a mommy that's all"! I ask, " Is mommy a girl?" Response. " No silly mommy, your just a mommy, not a girl!!!" So there you have it, it explains it all! I guess it could be worse, I could have been a monster or something.

Keaton's Officially a Big Boy!

Well many of you who have kids will appreciate this and those of you who don't well just skip reading this altogether. The topic potty training and I can officially state that Keaton is 100% potty trained. He's been doing great since December but there were accidents and i was needed at every call of nature. Today it hit me.... My son no longer needs me to go potty! If I try and assist I am sent away as he states "Leave mommy, I need my privacy!" He just goes all by himself. I find out after the fact as he shares the wonderful experience with such enthusiasm. We have finally overcome the potty training hurdle. For those who have gone down this road you know and appreciate why this is so exciting and for those of you who have not forge this road as yet, well..... Good luck and just remember to have alot of patience as it's all about them and you can do NOTHING about it. I just hold out hope now that Ryan will want to be like Keaton and pick it up quick. Yeah right! One can only hope. For now I will just be thankful I only have one in diapers.

I also am please to report Keaton is back to being his normal agreeable self. For a while there I was ready to string him by his toes. He was driving me nuts. Testing every limit put in front of him and he was just plain infuriating at times. I guess it had alot to do with all the changes that took place with moving and not having a routine, a home of our own and ect.... We are finally settled and he is now so wonderful to be around again, even without the nap. That nap is now a thing of the past, but he seems to be doing pretty well without it. Some days by 4pm he's a bear but for the most part he's doing well. Thank goodness Ryan is still napping great. I need the two hours to clean up and rest from all the mayhem he has caused around the house. He is quit the go getter.

Successful Second day!

Just a quick post on Keaton's 2nd day at preschool. SUCCESS! No tears today and he said he had alot of fun and couldn't wait to go again. This of course was music to my ears as he has not responded so well to me leaving him before. Mrs. Straton and Mrs. Pomeroy have such a great day planned for them how could he not want to go back. I truly am blessed to have found such a great program for him. He's brought home beautiful art work that adorns our refrigerator, watch out grandparents some will be coming your way! He's such a big boy now, before I know it he'll be off to kindergarten.

On another note, Ryan and I experienced our first time with just the two of us for a few hours. It was weird at first, however we enjoyed our time and boy did it remind me how easy it is to have just one child. It's amazing how things change when you add another to the mix. Ryan and I did miss Keaton though and were excited when 11:30 came as things just don't seem the same without him.

Storytime Fun

The boys and I have been out and about since getting settled and one of our favorite things to do is to go to story time at the Holley Ridge Library every Tues. or Wed. Story time is SO much fun. Even crazy and busy Ryan is captivated for a whole 5min. (ha!). They read story's, sings songs, do puppet or finger plays, and at the end a craft. Free fun, I'm all over it!! My neighbor Kate and her 4 kids (yes, I said four!) go each week. Now that Keaton has preschool on Tues and Thurs. we are going on Wed. which is a nice way to fill up our Wed. morning. Keeping busy is the only way to stay sane I found. I was never able to do things like this before with the boys so I am really enjoying it and so are they. Ryan has really gotten interested in books over the last month. He loves turning the pages over and over. He does like to hear the story but only as long as you are willing to let him turn the pages and turn the book upside down every two seconds.

Keaton's First Day of School

Today was a big day at our house... Keaton's first dayof Preschool at Holy Apostles Preschool (http://www.holyapostlespreschool.com/). I have to say I was more nervous than he was. Only thing he said before we left the house was,"Don't leave me at the place,OK mommy!" Hmmmm..... With that I wasn't sure how things were going to go. Luckily the teachers were great and very experienced with this as she was at the door to take all the kids who were lined up to go into there rooms. She put his name tag on and and guided him in the door and off he went. No hug,no kiss, not even a look back. So much was happening I think he was overwhelmed and wasn't sure what was going on. All first timer moms and dads were asked to stay in the parish hall for the hour just in case things got hairy. This actually was a great experience as I got to meet lots of moms from his class and others with kids exactly Keaton's age. The hour passed quickly and It was time for pick up. Mrs. Staraton said he did a good job, he did have a crying moment once things settled down and he realized I wasn't right there. She said it wasn't long and he was singing,dancing, coloring and playing and had put those sad feelings aside. I asked Keaton if he liked preschool and he said " OH, Yeah, it was fun" and asked if he wanted to go next week he said "Sure do!" So I cross my fingers all goes well next week. Regular class hours start so well see what happens. My little man is growing up and it's hard to believe that he is as big as he is. I just have to treasure this time with my little men as it is going so quickly! I took some pictures with his bookbag on going to school so If I ever find the USB cable (it was in the fire) or get a new one I will post some pics. They are so cute.

Apple Pickin

Nothing says fall like a day on the farm and that we did. We hit the Happy Apple Farm (http://www.happyapplefarm.com/) for a day of berry and apple picking and lots of fun. I' m not a farm girl by no means but I have to say this place was pretty cool. First off, the drive to get there was amazing. The views of the mountains were breathtaking and if nothing else it was worth the drive. In the middle of what seemed like no where was this cute apple and berry farm. All you could see was rows and rows of apple trees, berry bushes and pumpkin patches. You take a hayride out to the middle of the farm and start pickin! You can eat as many apples as you wish and you fill your bag or basket as full as you want. You just pay for the apples or berries you want to take home. The cute little country store has lots of yummies to buy and outside large grills and cookers were cooking hot dogs and BBQ sandwiches. We spent the day with my brother and his family and had a ball. The kids had a great time, Keaton and Ryan now have tried every apple known to man. Ryan is also a VERY big fan of blackberries. We spent half a day wondering the apple farm and boy were the kids worn out !! Mom and dad too.

Home Sweet Home

After a long Friday night of tears and shock we headed back to our new home. We really weren't prepared to spend the night at the new place yet as all we had inside was paint and supplies but thanks to the kindness of my parents wonderful neighbors we had what we needed to make it thru the night until we got moved in the next morning and had a chance to hit Target or Wal-Mart.

Saturday was the big move in day and everyone insisted we stick to it and get it done, so that we did. With lots of help from all my family even my aunt Candy and Uncle Jan (who were visiting from Iowa) we were moved in, in no time flat. It was a somber weird day but under all the sadness and shock everyone was happy for us. It has taken time but we are slowly getting back to whatever normal is with two small children but I do feel we are about there. Boxes are mostly unpacked and things are getting organized. We have phone, cable, and as of yesterday we have the computer set up (hence I am finally posting again). I look around and cant believe I live here sometimes. There is soooo much room, going from 3 bedrooms to 5 is a shocker but i am NOT complaining at all. I have room to finally be somewhat organized for once. The kids have lots of play space up and downstairs which has made happy kids and a happy mommy and daddy!!!

The neighborhood has been wonderful thus far. My neighbors couldn't be nicer. Everyone has made it a point to introduce themselves to us and I have even been invited to a Silpadia party this Sat. by my neighbor next door. Another neighbor has made it a point to show me around town and to all the fun and free spots for kids as she has 4 kids ages 4,twins that are 2 and a 2 month old. She is happy to have someone to hang out with during the day and I'm am too!!!

Ben and I just feel so lucky that we have such a beautiful home and we hope to share it with all of you friends and family. It's bittersweet in a way as you all who are far away we would love to share it with you. So please take us up on our offer sometime and visit.

In one minute life Changes!!

Well, I don't even know where or how to begin what has gone on since my last post. My family has had the highs and than the lowest of the low happen all on the same day.

Friday started off like any other crazy morning with my family except Fri. the 17th was the highly anticipated day of our house closing here in Colorado. My mom watched the boys while we signed a zillion papers and we received the keys to our new humble abode! Yippee. Ben and I were beside ourselves with happiness, we finally could have a place to call HOME again. We headed home to get the boys and change into some painting clothes to finish the last of the painting before move in day the next morning. Having no idea that, that quick stop back at my parents to get changed and grab the kids would be the last time we saw my parents beautiful home ever the same again. Just before 6pm we started to clean up all the painting mess when we got the call that I hope to never get again. My dad called to say the "My house is on fire, I am so sorry I don't think you'll get your things out. Oh my god, I have to go!!". Well as you can imagine Ben and I about shit our pants and grab the kid and got in the car to head to their house. On the way we heard from my brother that lightening had struck the house. By the time we got there the fire was out but the damage was done. The house which had become my second home over the past few months now had a horrible burning, smokey stench, and was a complete lose. The lightening went thru the basement and out the side of the house and they think it caught mattress on fire on it's way out, which sent a inferno thru out the rest of the basement and smoke and fire thru the heating system. Everywhere there was a air vent was smoke and burnt carpet. Smoke damage was really bad. I am just thankful my parents are OK. Minutes before they were sitting in the living room and thank god they got up to do somethings in the kitchen or they could be injured or worse.

Later were were able to go in and see the damage and boy was it bad. It was like walking into another world. In some areas it looked just like it did before we left that day with a added layer of ash and sut and black grime and other areas were burned, and melted. Things like curtains were just burned to nothing as the rod was there but the curtains was gone. Keaton's beloved croc stuffed animal that is his lovey he sleeps with was laying right in the middle of the living room. Things all around it were burned but it was OK other than being a little black and stinky. We couldn't get it until they supported the floor in that area as it was caving in. Amazingly however the croc was sent away to some special cleaning place and it came back OK. Things like that just seem amazing to me.

Well to make a long story and lots that I could write about short. The insurance company has been wonderful and already have my parents in a beautiful rental home. They now have the long and daunting job of recovery however. The house will be gutted and rebuilt which will take until at least Feb. or March. Mom and dad are handling things pretty well under the circumstance but they miss their real home and everything that made it their home. Please pray for them as it will take time for them to recover mentally from all of this.

By the way we did move in our new house the next morning and more to come on that.

Is it a cold? Is it the teeth? Just let me SLEEP PLEASE!

Well, as many of you know we are staying at my parents and sleeping in the same room with little Ryan so sleep and privacy is, let just say been zilch!!!! This week however has highlighted why tomorrows closing of our new house is so much anticipated.
Poor Ryan has got a double whammy this week. He has been hit by a cold that has his nose running, a cough and a moderate/sometimes high fever. To top it all off I have found (while mouth was open wide crying) that he has I believe 4 teeth coming in. 3 of them are molars and boy, is the poor guy drooling, and chewing everything. So I'm having difficulty accessing if all the fussiness and lack of appetite is from the teeth, the cold or both. I'm sure it's a little of both, but that still doesn't change the fact that the child is NOT SLEEPING! For 3 nights now Anytime after 2:00am is hell, he is fussing,cranky, tried but WONT go back to sleep until about 2 or 3 hours of wrangling,snuggling,and half asleep parents trying to console. Ryan then for no rhyme or reason just passes out with his feet in Ben's stomach and is head lodged in my chest! Tomorrow cant come fast enough and I pray that a good night sleep is ahead of us once again.

What a Splashin Birthday!

My nephew Cadence turned 4 last Sat. and I have to give kudos to by sister in law Jen for having a GREAT birthday party. I had yet to spend a birthday with my little Cadence so this was a special day for all of us. The party was at Wilson Ranch pool which sits right along side of the mountains, not only do you get to swim but you get great scenery as well! The pool was the coolest pool I've been to yet. A water playground for the kids, lazy river, vortex pool, bigger kids/adult water slide and the best part was it all was for kids. Life guards everywhere to take the edge off of having to have 4 sets of eyes to keep track of your little one every second and a huge umbrella (dripping with water of course) for us very white folks who needed the shade from time to time. Needless to say we partied and swam and had a ball. Keaton finally went down the water slide the last hour we were there and once he tried it we couldn't keep him off. We parasitically had to carry him out of the place. Ryan too had a ball, he loved to put his face in the water and giggle and try and steal anyone blow up toy that came by!!!

Growing up!

Ryan is growing up and changing way to fast. I have to fill you in on all of Ryan's funny goings ons as poor kid seems to get overlooked as his brother has been such a handful lately. Ryan has changed so much in the last month and a half. He is no longer the sit and hang out kid, nor his he quiet!! Ryan is everywhere and into everything. He loves to explore every nook and cranny of every new area he finds. He is playful and loves to play peek-a-boo and hide and seek, throw and chase balls, and the new thing this morning was to dance. Ryan has never wanted to watch a minute of TV and today he stopped to check out the Backyardigans as they were singing and dancing so he too joined in. It was too funny. He loves to give high fives and kisses and hugs. Nothing is better than getting a open mouth, slobbery, wet Ryan smooch and snuggle. He is still a great, easy going kid and we truly are blessed to have such a little boy as our son. Keaton and Ryan are starting to play together and I am in trouble is all I can say. It's going to be wonderful watching the two of them grow up together and become best buddies.

Enough already

OK, as parents we don't have enough to worry about but now I have to worry about every toy that I have purchased or am going to purchase in the future for paint safety. First it was Thomas, and now Sesame Street, Dora, and Diego. What is next? I had one of the toys on the recall list, which I wasn't so thrill to find out!! I was reading that they recommend you take your children to get a blood test to check lead levels. Are you kidding me!!! All because of Big Bird and Ernie my child has to be stuck with a needle. I can tell you now this event will be ten times worse than getting any vaccination!!! God help me. Enough with these toys made in China. I may just have to start only buying American made toys which will mean my children will have very few new toys. This will make Ben happy!!

Zoo-rrific

Well, after a long week of battling Keaton I am happy to say we had a wonderful weekend. My normal Keaton was in attendance and what a joy it was for all. We spent Sat. at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo ( http://www.cmzoo.org/ ) which is located here in the mountains of Colorado Springs. We became members so we can take the kids whenever we want for the rest of the year. The weather was nice, kids were in a good mood and great scenery. What more could we want. The zoo has fantastic views of the Springs and surrounding areas as it sits on the side of the mountain. I cant wait to share some of my pictures.
Keaton loved seeing the hippos who were lounging in the water to escape the heat, feeding the giraffes crackers and riding a pony named Indigo. Ryan enjoyed watching the monkeys. He giggled and ran around the exhibit. Boy, is he hard to keep up with these days!! One silver back Gorilla was eyeing Ben, for a moment I thought we may have a dual on our hands!! Ha, Ha!! We took lots of pictures which I will post as soon as are home PC is up and running. It was a fantastic day over all and one without meltdowns so of course Ben and I were overjoyed!!

"The Trying Threes"

OK, I have heard about the terrible two's, but someone has forgotten to fill me in on the" Trying Threes"!! I have read about all the developmental milestones that a three year old will achieve but why hasn't anyone shared with me the absolutely aggravating stage of the "TRYING THREES". People with older kids all say, "Yeah Trying threes are trying!! What, why have I not heard about this. I thought three was going to be rosy. Maybe it's just my child but god help me. What is going on? Sometimes I wonder, is it because of all the changes with the move and that we are not settled into a home yet. Is he acting out because he has no control over anything else so he has to control what he can, or is he just trying to age me ten years? Or is it all of the above. All I know is Keaton has moments where he is normal, sweet easy going Keaton and other times where he is demanding , defiant, and just down right aggravating. He defies everything I say, and challenges everything I do. Argh. I know he has been through alot and we have to be patient but I am just letting all you moms out there who have not heard of the "Trying Threes" , beware three has lot of great times but watch out for the head spinning moment ( your child's or yours!). I guess this is all part of parenting, every stage is exciting and new and some you hope pass more quickly than others. This stage Keaton is in I hope passes VERY Quickly!!!

Those beautiful toes

This one is for you Melissa. Yesterday Keaton was playing with some playdough and I had found a bag of playdough cutouts for him to use. I handed him the bag and went to chase Ryan. When I turn around Keaton had the biggest smile on his face and he says "Look mommy, my toes look like Ms. Melissa's". I should have look closer in the bag as there was one lone red marker in there that he proceeded to use like toenail polish. I guess your pedicure before we left, left a good impression on him Melissa!

What a find!

Of course, I had to check out if Colorado Springs was on Craigslist and to my delight I found out it is and that very day found our family a almost new sectional couch, over sized chair and ottoman from Crate and Barrel for only $600!! The couches have been wrapped up in storage after less than a year of use as the owner got other furniture. It is in great condition and we were thrilled. We almost felt guilty for only paying $600 for them. Our new house has a formal living room, family room and family room in the basement. Needless to say we don't have that much furniture so my find even went over well with my hubby who usually isn't to fond of making expensive purchases but he seem to be pretty happy that I found this as it saved him from paying twice the price if we bought new. To top it off the woman who was selling it is the District Attorney for Colorado Springs so if we get into trouble we know who to call!!!

Buggin!!

Ok, I am very aware I have two boys and may I say they are ALL BOY! They keep me running all day long and the things Keaton says and does makes me go HMMMMMM or OH MY GOD sometimes. Last night proved to me that it isn't going to get any better only it's only going to get worse as Ryan is coming into his own and with a vengeance. My whole family has decide that Ryan is going to be a dare devil of the two. He has NO FEAR of any thing and last night proved that!

Keaton found a little salamander and was of course torchering it by touching it and trying to pick it up, and who was right by his side trying to get at it and hold it but little Ryan. Since he wasn't able to get a hold of the salamander he moved on to what was available and that meant the biggest nastiest bug I've seen in a long time. Colorado has this big, nasty that I have never seen before and Ryan has decided it's the coolest bug ever. He amused my family last night by picking the bugs up and shaking them and giggling with delight!! I on the other hand was horrified. Yuck!!! Needless to say Ryan is fearless and I am in trouble!!

Almost lost a front tooth!

As most people are aware preschoolers are not so graceful and Keaton proved this to me ten fold yesterday as he bounds into the kitchen somehow trips over his own feet and down he went. Face first or should I say teeth first!!! I knew from the sound of the hit and the scream afterwards that it wasn't going to be pretty. At first I thought it was his sweet little lips but come to find out after further evaluation that it was his left tooth that was doing most of the bleeding!! Yikes. After making him sit with a cold cloth in his mouth for as long as possible and a dose of Tylenol for the pain I then endured the pain of hearing how much it hurt for the next 3 hours. I am thankful that the tooth didn't fall out! Keaton with a missing tooth would be quit a sight. I am happy to report however he stated this morning " Mommy, my tooth feels much better and I am happy again!" All is now right in the world and we will go on to make it thru another fun filled day.

A home in Colorado

Well as many of you know we have been house hunting and not having much luck! The first home we missed out by a few hours as someone got their offer in before us. The second home we had to walk away from because the sellers were going into foreclosure and had to have approval from the bank before any offer could be approved which they said could be 2 or more weeks. We need a home so on we went to find another home. Third house is the charm as we put in an offer we negotiated for a day and unless something crazy happens it's going to be ours on August 17th!!!!!
Keaton loved the house when we looked at it last Friday. Ben had to carry him out kicking and screaming that he loved his new house and he wanted to stay there. It's a 4 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath with a finished walkout basement. Here is a link on Realtor.com if you want to take a peak. http://homes.realtor.com/prop/1084634745 There are pictures and a featured tour. (FYI: After the closing the link will no longer work) We now have lots of room for guest so start planning your trip out West.