Halloween Sneak Peek

The boys got all dressed up for the Fall Festival at CUMC on Sunday. I say, the more places you can take them in their costumes the better.


Oh, the suspense. Whatever could they be?

The grand finale will be seeing their Daddy all dressed up for the festivities. Believe me, you won't want to miss it.

Going, going... gone.

My mind has officially left me.

On Mondays and Wednesdays I leave work at 2:30 to go get Max from school at 3:00.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays I leave work at 2:00 to go get Grant & Jack by 2:30 and then go get Max from school at 3:00.

Today I left work at 2:30. Today is Tuesday. Today the screen on my phone also decided not to work. I realized my error at 2:37 on my way to pick up the little guys. I had to call Allison to look up the number to Hand in Hand. I called and explained that I had lost my mind. Then, I called Lindsey to look up the number to Lee Elementary so I could call and explain to them that I was crazy. (Sidenote: no need to call the school if you're going to by 15 minutes late. Apparently, that's when everyone... except for the people who cut in line... shows up for their kids. The line was longer at 3:15 than I had ever seen it.) As we pulled in front of the school Grant exclaimed that he needed to poop and pee BAD. I parked, took in G & J (who were wearing their pajamas, by the way because today at MDO was PJ today in lieu of costumes). So my insansity was confirmed to all the Lee staff that I had indeed lost my mind... I mean, I didn't even dress 2 of my children that day.

With my mind gone I cannot be held responsible for anything so don't ask.

Shark facts

This morning Grant asked me if baby sharks came out of eggs. I told him I didn't think so (where's Max when you need him?). Grant then proceded to tell me that when he went to shark alley with his Daddy that he saw sharks kissing. Then the sharks fell in love and had baby sharks.

I just wish I could see the images he sees in his head when he is imagining these things... or maybe not.

More late nights with Jack

I don't know what is going on with Jack. He is a super sleeper. He goes to bed by 7:30 pm and wakes up around 7:00 am. He still takes 2 good naps. But lately, he has been waking up at night after his brothers are in bed. I think he has figured out that late nights are a good (and only) time to get some individual attention.
He joined Nate and me in eating a snack while watching the Office.

Good night, Jack.

Is that you, Mr. Raccoon?

Something is eating one of our pumpkins. At first I thought it was the boys digging into it with sticks. Max assured me it wasn't. Now, each morning when I go outside there is a little more missing out of the pumpkin with little orange shavings on the porch. Mr. Raccoon?

Go Rockies!

I'm not a huge baseball fan. I think baseball is especially boring to watch on TV (right after the hum drum of watching golf). But, we have gone to Rockies' games and you have to cheer for someone during the world series so we are all about the Rockies. Jack and Nate were giving them a little cheer during game 4.

(Don't worry. Nate IS wearing shorts.)

Jack- 18 months

Jack is coming into his own. He initiates tackling his brothers, he helps himself to yogurt in the refrigerator, he loves dogs but calls them cats, he melts to the floor with a big pouty lip when he doesn't get his way, he has a contagious laugh (especially when tickled under his chin), he loves to wear shoes and he is quickly losing his cankles and becoming a little boy.

We love our little Jackimo.

One More Game

Max loves soccer. He loves to tackle people on the sidelines while he's not playing and he loves to throw grass on the girls and he is great at encouraging his teammates when they score and he is a great defender. His favorite thing about the season is his new friend, Chapman.

Way to go, Max-o.
Did I mention I'm ready for soccer to be over?

"But, I don't want to play..."

Grant was gung ho about playing soccer but excitement quickly wore off for him, say about 23 seconds into his first game. It has been a long, tiring season for all of us... lots of threats and bribery later, the season has finally ended!

This was trying to get Grant dressed Saturday morning. See how excited he is to play?

Happy when on the sidelines watching Max.

Pep talk from Daddy to play and not throw a fit on the field.

Constant "encouragment" on the field.

He's so dramatic. Way to go, little G. You don't have to play anymore!

Bed Buddies

Ahhh... so sweet. Except for the fact that they are on my pillow in my bed. I wanted to capture the fleeting moment of sweetness.


They awake and realize how close they are lying next to each other.
Good bye sweetness, good morning boys.

Evening Invader

Tonight we got home from church and the boys started getting ready for bed. Max was brushing his teeth in the bathroom by Nate and my bedroom. Grant walked into the bathroom to see Max. He stuck his head out into the living room where I was and said, "I saw a raccoon in your room. I saw its eyes." What? Max peered into our room from the bathroom and said, "Mom, he really did! I just him looking at me and rubbing his hands together." Now, at this point I didn't know if they were playing a joke on their old gullible Mom or if they were telling it as they saw it. Just in case, I went and told Nate that the boys said they saw a raccoon in our room. His reaction was the same as mine, "What?" He walked over, looked in our room and said, "Well, I'll be darned. There is a raccoon in there." The little guys and I went into the front living room while Nate found a baseball bat.

Let me pause and say that we finally had our carpets cleaned on Friday. I was not thrilled with the prospect of Nate bludgening a raccoon in our house and making a huge mess. He assured me it was only for show.

While Nate was trying to corral the raccoon out the sliding glass door (which is apparently how it got in the house... one of the sliding glass doors off the back porch was open a little when we got home) I got the phone book and called animal control. Someone at the police station answered saying no one from animal control was on duty but she could send an officer over when one came available. Hopefully, had it been a human invader an officer would have been available immediately. I mean, where were all the cops when you need one to scare a raccoon out of your house?!

While the little guys and I were in the front living room, Nate was telling the raccoon to leave, to get down, to leave that alone, to stop chewing on that, to get out there, etc. That big rodent was making himself at home. He went into our room, the bathroom, behind the entertainment center, behind the couch, on the couch, chewed on Grant's Denver Nuggets jersey, sniffed at my fake flowers and had absolutely no intention of leaving. Nate got an apple, cut it in half and threw it on the back porch along with the Nuggets jersey the raccoon seemed so enamored with. Finally, after about 30 minutes from the time he was spotted, the raccoon ventured onto the back porch to get the apple. Nate went to shut the door and the critter tried coming back in! When he saw that door was closed he walked over to the other sliding glass door to let himeself in. Seeing that door was closed too, he finally accepted defeat and ran into the backyard.... probably to stake his claim in the clubhouse.

You'd think we lived out in the middle of nowhere with the list of random animals to appear in our home : multiple squirrels, the bird, the enormous spider, the snake and now, the raccoon. Animal house seems fitting.

Sniffing the jersey. Maybe he has family in Denver.

No, really, make yourself at home. Can we get you anything? Don't mind us. So sorry to interrupt your private party.

The lone casualty (besides some tissue paper and chewed up crayons). He chewed the felt and tail off of this horse. Its remains were found near our bed.

So long, crazy raccoon.