Holiday Card 2010

Joy Peace Love Holiday

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Rick Marshall

We let Cooper watch Land of the Lost all the time. I know, it isn't appropriate for a four year old, but he loves it. Who are we to stand in the way of a four year old's favorite movie?

This version of Land of the Lost stars Will Ferrell as Dr. Rick Marshall. Another Will Ferrell movie was on the other night and Blake was watching it. Both Evan and Cooper watched it too - Old School. Another completely inappropriate movie for kids, but whatever.

Anyway, as Old School was playing, Cooper turned to his dad and asked, "What is Rick Marshall doing in this movie?"

Blake had to explain that there is no Rick Marshall. That Rick Marshall is actually Will Ferrell. That Will Ferrell is an actor. That Land of the Lost isn't a real place.

Next thing you know, Cooper's going to wonder if Santa Claus is real.

Family Photo Shoot Fall 2010

Check out this video I made on Animoto. It's free to use! And you don't have to be a genius to use it!

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

Ear Bug

I'm a little late posting this story, but it deserves a post. We'll want to remember this one day, I'm sure...

So, I pick Coop up at the sitter's and she tells me Coop said a bug flew in his ear. She's got the tweezers out and is trying to locate it, telling me that she got a hold of it and pulled a wing off. I take a look and can't see a thing, but I'm concerned enough to call the pediatrician. They tell me I need to bring him in right away - the bug has to come out.

So I drop Evan at Van and Cheryl's, pick up Blake, and we're off to KC to the pediatrician - who, by the way, is open in the evening for sick kids! I didn't know this! Yay! Saved an ER visit! Yay!

I told Coop on the way down that there would probably be some water in his ear while the doctor tried to get the bug out. He didn't seem to concerned - he really wasn't acting like it was hurting too much. While we were in the waiting room, I asked Coop if the bug was his friend. He told me that it wasn't. I asked him if he wanted to name the bug and he told me he'd call the bug "Butthole". That's my boy I know and love!

When the doctor comes in, he tries to water pic the bug out. The bug won't budge. He digs around. The bug won't budge. Coop handled the water pic ok. But the digging around was a whole other story. You can consider Coop really pissed at this point. Then the doc gets the water pic out again and it takes all three of us to hold Coop down. It was awful, but the bug finally came out. And there was a lot of blood.

We were concerned that Coop's ear drum had burst, and we made a follow up appointment for the following week. When we took him back, the doc said that his ear drum was fine. Apparently there was enough blood when they finally got the bug out that he couldn't tell, but now that it was healing, he could see that the bug had actually burrowed in to the side of Coop's ear canal! WTH!

But Cooper's a trooper. He mentioned "Butthole the Bug" tonight, but otherwise, he's fine! What a freaking deal.

Stupid Cats

Evan loves the movie "Aristocats". She watches it every day at our babysitter's house. When I picked the kids up tonight, she told me that Evan tore up her Aristocats movie - it was a VHS tape and Evan pulled the tape out. So tonight at dinner, I told Blake to ask Evan about tearing up the movie.

Blake: Evan, did you tear up Aristocats today?
Evan: Uh huh.
Blake: Why did you do that?
Evan: Cause I wanted to.
Blake: Why?
Evan: Stupid cats.

Please remember that Evan turned two in June. Wow. We're in trouble.

Cooper the Comic

A "funny" courtesy of Cooper...

Cooper: Where's Mom going?
Dad: She went inside to get you something to drink.
Cooper: She's pretty nice.
Dad: Yep, she is.
Cooper: But sometimes she gets pissy, right?

Gotcha!

Evan is, quite possibly, the world's best when it comes to ignoring someone when they want to take her picture. That's why this one is so special.

I AM Needed!

Had to leave for work early today and left Blake in charge of getting the kids dressed and off to the sitter's. He sent Evan without any shoes. See, I am needed.

Blue

Me: Evan, what color is the sky?
Evan: Blue.
Me: Good girl! What color is the water?
Evan: Blue.
Me: You're so smart, Evan! How about that cow over there... What color is that cow?
Evan: Blue!

Aw. Nice try kiddo.

Windows 7

I love my new computer. I don't love Windows 7.

I was told by an Adobe customer service rep that the reason my Photoshop wouldn't work with my new computer was because my older version wasn't compatable with Windows 7. So I went out and bought the most recent version and loaded it. It didn't work. After spending 4 hours on the Adobe forums, I found a way to fix it, but it's still a little glitchy. And I'm wondering if the fix I found wouldn't have worked for my older version.

As if that wasn't enough, when I finally went to print something the other night, lo and behold, my printer isn't compatable with Windows 7. Now I have to buy a new printer.

I don't love Windows 7.

Garage Sale

As I was leaving for work today, I asked Blake to make sure he left the garage door unlocked in case the guys came to put up our new overhead garage doors. Cooper, from the back seat and with so much sincerity in his voice, said, "Did you get them at the garage sale?" I thought I might die laughing. It was the perfect start to my day.

New Toy

I got a new computer. I got a new computer. I got a new computer. Na na na na na. :)

Well, at least half of a new computer. The monitor is here. The computer is coming tomorrow.

Yippee!

Cooper is Four

Cooper just turned four and we had his party on Friday night. Originally scheduled for Saturday night, we sort of scrambled to throw it together a day earlier so all the cousins could be here. Cause what's a party without your cousins, right?

I'm really looking forward to year four. Year three was a little challenging. Everyone says that the terrible twos are the worst, but I'd be glad to swap some stories from year three and compare. We've already seen more maturity from Cooper in the last couple of months - fewer fits and less talking back. And he's hilarious. But one thing we've still got to work on? His potty mouth. Well, maybe I should work on my own potty mouth and then we wouldn't have a problem. :)

Evan Turns Two

My baby girl turned 2 in June. When did she get so big? When did her hair get so long? When did she starting talking? I promised myself I wouldn't forget a minute, but it's all gone by in a rush.

We partied with family at our house again this year. In the picture below, she's trying her very hardest not to smile while we all sing the happy birthday song.

She got lots of good loot, including her very own fishing pole. We haven't tried it yet, mostly because I'm still not over the fact that she fell in the pond on a recent family fishing outing.

With their birthdays so close together, it's bound to happen that Coop and Evan will get a gift they can share. This year, they got a Mustang GT convertible from Granny and Granddad. How cute are they as they drive off in to the sunset?

I am so completely lucky to have such a vivacious little girl in my life. She's beautiful and sweet. She's loving and a little daring. She's petite and kind of spunky. Right now, it's hard to imagine that when she's thirteen she'll hate me just because I'm her mother. Unfortunately, you know it will happen.

Pure Joy

This is quite possibly my favorite picture of all time. They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I can think of two words that completely describe this picture - pure joy.

Evan's Dress #2

I've had this done for a while now... Ta da!

Birthday Blitz

In two weeks, I'll have a two year old. And two more weeks after that, I'll have a four year old. Where has the time gone?

Froggy Went A Courtin'

Froggy has a girlfriend. And she lives way way down the road. That's the only reason I can think for a bullfrog - who normally lives in a pond - to be in the middle of our yard.

This froggy caught Cooper's eye while he rode the lawn mower with Blake. The frog was HUGE!


Here's the whole family trying to coax the frog in to a nice container to be transported from our yard...

I hope Froggy eventually finds his girlfriend. Next time he might not be so lucky to be spotted before the mower gets him.

Mickey Mouse Clubhouse

According to Cooper, every hidey hole, every tent-like structure, every place where a little person can hide or perch, is called a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Aside from watching the TV show of the same name, I don't know where he comes up with this stuff. Well, now he and Evan have a permanent Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in the backyard.

Bye Bye Binkie

The plan is to get rid of Evan's binkie. We'll see how this goes. Updates to follow soon. I doubt they will be positive.