Let's Play Restaurant

Sunday morning I was leaning over the kitchen counter, enjoying my cup of coffee while watching HGTV on the small under counter t.v., trying to fully wake up so I could engage my children.  In this house coffee is a MUST.  I was completely oblivious to the scatter of the kids' feet going back and forth behind me and their conversations between one another.  And then Blake said, "Momma, we made you tacos!!"  And Brady chimed in, "Tac tac!!!" (that's how he says tacos.)  I turned around and they had managed to carry in two of their chairs and put them at a "table" (their step stool in the kitchen) and asked me to sit down at the table to enjoy the meal they had prepared me.  I died right then and there from the ridiculous cuteness.  Oh, the smiles on their faces.  That memory is forever imprinted with me.  The boys were beaming with pride.  Who needs coffee when you wake up to that?? 

Genetics

Brad and I both have dimples on our right cheek.  We're meant to be like that.  We also happened to pass that trait down to both our sons, dimples on their right cheeks.  They're lucky like that.  Brady doesn't have much chub on his cheeks and its hard to see unless he happens to smile just a certain way.  The picture below caught it.  Pictures of both boys enjoying some of the amazing spring like weather the other week. 

Someone has some big shoes to fill...

So he can be just like his daddy!

Brady kept saying, "Daddy's shoes!"  "I'm funny!"  Adorable much?!

A Couple of Boys that Make Me Smile

Worst Childrens Book Ever?!

Blake loves Curious George.  I recently found one from my collection of books when I was little and Blake was so excited to read it at story time.  I quickly realized we had made a terrible mistake.  Seriously, this book is awful.  So awful in fact, that it is what I'm attributing to giving Blake nightmares two of the last three nights.  I took screen shots of the worst pages.  I mean you have to see it to believe it.  George is living in the jungle and the Man with the Yellow Hat finds him while he's on a trip and kidnaps him to sell to the zoo.  NO JOKE.  This is the page that scared Blake so much.  Look at this picture of George being trapped in a bag.  The look on George's face alone!

And another great lesson to teach your children is when George stayed at the Man with the Yellow Hat's house before being sold to the zoo, he "enjoyed a nice pipe."

 George accidentally dialed the fire station and when they realized there was no actual fire when they showed up, hauled George off to jail. Picture below is him sitting in his jail cell.  Awesome.

They just don't make books like they used to.  (And I'm okay with that!)

My Little Picasso

We made valentines the other day and Brady did not want to stop painting so I just kept putting more and more pieces of paper in front of him to fill.  This happens every time we sit down to paint.  Its one of his true loves.  Paint supplies he got for his birthday from his little friend Emma was such a perfect gift for this doodle.  Look at the expression on his face.  PURE JOY.

L-O-V-E

This picture was taken valentines weekend back in 2000.  The very first Valentines Brad and I shared together.  I was away at school in Kansas and he surprised me by leaving Dallas when he got off work (late) and drove the stretch down 35 and surprised me showing up at my dorm in the middle of the night.  I of course had been sad that we were apart on Valentine's, but my love then, and now, never ceases to amaze me and fill my days with surprises and love always.  I look at this picture, two such young versions of ourselves and so madly in love.  We have changed and grown so much since then, including our love for each other.  Each year we are surprised how we are able to love each other more than the last.  Of course, not every day is sunshine and roses, but we always work at our relationship because there is no one else we'd rather spend our days, our lives with.  I love that those two kids in that picture are still so madly in love.  Every night at bed time after stories and its time to be tucked in, before Brady goes in his room, Blake insists on us all having one big group hug.  I love that our boys are in a home filled with so much love. I think that is the best Valentine's Day gift we could give each other really.  Although chocolates and flowers are pretty nice too!

What Were We Thinking??!!

Brad and I met when I was 17 and he was 18.  I thought Brad was the dreamiest guy ever.  For the few that read this and did not know us back then, Brad had bleach blonde tips on his hair and wore Jincos jeans.  You know those jeans that are 10 sizes too big??  And I repeat, I thought he was the dreamiest guy ever.  What was I thinking??  And what was Brad thinking for wearing those jeans??  We have been in a long process of cleaning out closests and decluttering as best as you can when you have two kids ages three and under in the house.  Brad found a pair of his old jincos folded in the closet.  Ahhh, memories.  We had Blake put on the jeans...his entire body swimming in ONE OF THE PANT LEGS.  Priceless.  We didn't put Brady in them because he would have been lost forever.  And yes, those DID make the goodwill pile.