Tonight Will called the kitchen "Mommy's workshop"....sounds pretty accurate to me!

Will and his pal Brinks

Its funny, they talk about "a boy and his dog" and I've never thought about that expression when seeing Will and Rosco. Probably just because Rosco is more Luke's and my dog. He does protect the boys, but its just not the same. With Will and Brinkley- she's obviously not our dog either, she's my mom and Chucks- but its so cute to see her and Will. They are such pals. Will is constantly wanting to play with her and she loves playing with him. They hang out together, run laps around the house together and can just run and run for what seems like forever.  They love playing together it really is very cute. We watched Brinkley a couple of weekends ago and we took a walk and Will and Brinkley stopped to catch their breath in the field behind our house. (Which is planted with wheat and a stunning green right now!)

My Big Boy

Will and I had an awesome day together on Sunday.  We snuggled in the hammock in the morning.  He's still such a snuggler and I LOVE it. :)

 

That afternoon we ran, yes ran, down to the river/sand bar together. Not something I ever considered doing until Luke pointed out that it would be a good workout. Why yes, it would. And it was! And Will kept up with me every step of the way. Once we got down there, the plan was for Luke and Dane to meet us down there on the Ranger and bring us back. They did, but Will wanted to walk back.  So we did!  :) It was so much fun, and a beautiful day. 

 

Later that afternoon, the boys helped me trim some trees (correction: Will began helping me trim the trees and Luke finished the job with a chainsaw when I asked him to help me cut some of them that I was having a hard time with) So after we got them trimmed we loaded them in to the back of the Ranger and took them out to the "burn pile" (can you tell we live out in the country) and the New Sheriff In Town helped make sure everything was safe before we unloaded.  Complete with unsightly horse boots.

 

3 Years Already!!!?

 How is it that my little sweet baby Dane is 3 years old?  I've been savoring every single moment of my sweet boy but I feel like my baby is slipping through my fingers a little more every day.  So independent now and so big.  His little body is getting bigger and growing stronger and he's just the cutest thing I could seriously eat him.  I struggle every day with what I should do and what I want to do.  I want to hold him and give him every single thing he wants.  If he pitches a fit I want to console him and honestly I want to just hold him and not ever let him go.  Stop the forward moving time process and keep him this age forever.  I think I would give just about anything if I could do that. 

Buuut, I do my best to be a good parent and try to raise a good little human which means not giving into those urges but standing my ground and setting boundaries and consequences and all that.  Sigh. 

Disclaimer:  I said try.



So anyway, his 3rd birthday came around anyway despite my wishing it away.  A few weeks ago we went to the store and he wanted a Ring Pop.  I told him no, not knowing what I was really doing.  I was actually creating a mini obsession.  So naturally, a week or two later when I asked him what kind of birthday cake he wanted, he wanted a Ring Pop cake of course!  So on Friday we had some friends over and I made Ring Pop cupcakes.  They turned out pretty good and all the kids absolutely loved them.  I mean what kid wouldn't?  It's like a two-for-one dessert. 

 

I had never seen 9 children be so quiet.

 

 

Friends at Dane's party:

Ethan, Fisher, Dane, Nellie and Macey

Austin, Avah, Will and Kaley

 

 

My Birthday Boy in his tie dye shirt, of course.

 

Opa and Oma got Dane a cowboy set: hat, bandanna, holster belt and two cap guns.  They have been quite the hit!

  

I swear.  This is what happened on Sunday morning when my little cowboy learned that his birthday was over.

You might have noticed that Dane is wearing two other shirts besides tie dye in some of these pictures.  We are making some progress!  I started out one morning by picking out a ..gasp.. non tie dye shirt.  I tried to get it on him quickly before he realized what was going on but he's no fool.  I explained that we were just going to wear this one today and if he didn't cry (insert stare and head tilt while wrangling shirt over head) he could wear a tie dye shirt again tomorrow.  It worked!  So I sometimes use that tactic and sneak approach and the obsession seems to be lessening.

Easter Pics 2013

   Easter was a good day, we had just gotten back from Michigan the night before but wanted to get back to spend the day with Daddy.  Here are a few pics.  Unfortunately Luke was saying "smile!" or "Cheeeeese" when I snapped his pic, but wanted to post it anyway :)

 

Here was Dane the day before, the morning of our Michigan departure.  We got up that morning and did all the cleaning and packing that day, which was nice not having to do those things the day before we left.  Anyway, he was ready and "loaded" by about 9 am.  ....We left about noon.  :) 

 

Ah hem

I knew it was going to happen one of these days....and today was the day!

Up until today neither boy had ever said a bad word (to my knowledge).  :) 

We had just gotten home from the boys' yoga class and Dane has one of those coats where the flap of fabric that goes over the zipper sometimes gets stuck in it.  And tonight it did.  He came into the kitchen all flustered that his zipper was stuck.  I worked with it and finally got it unzipped.  He went to the laurndry room and as he put it away I heard him say "That damn coat."   My jaw completely dropped as I turned right around!  I said What did you say??  Will chimed in "He said That damn coat."  Again, shocked!!  At both of them!  I asked him again, "Dane: what did you say!" He replied "My zipper was stuck on that coat!"  I said "Did you say 'That damn coat?"  He replied yeah, practically shrugging his shoulders.   Both of them were talking about it like it was absolutely no big deal, that of course he would say that about his damn coat.  The zipper was stuck! 

Big Day of Spring Break

We had a big day today.  We went to the Sandcastles Childrens Museum.  We had been a number of years ago before Dane was born, but since then they've moved into a bigger location and I was so impressed! 

 

Dane working at the Bank.  (stamping a check register)

The ice cream, sandwich and pizza joint.

There was an incredible aviation exhibit.  Complete with demonstration on how to fly a plane, they  have an actual plane that kids can get in and operate.  Communicate with the flight tower via the radios (where other kids can instruct them), steer- which moves the flaps on the wings on the plane, see the guages move.  It was very impressive.  

 

Here is the truck that loaded baggage for the flights - Dane had so much fun putting the bags on the belt and cranking them up and into the truck.

 

There is a vet.  They checked in animals, gave them shots, ace bandage wraps, took blood pressure, temperature, oxygen masks, put them under heat lamps, and did full examinations and diagnosis.  There was also a real X-ray light board.  

They also had fun playing with the water tables, climbing wall, theater area, reading area w/fireplace, two-story ship (w/info about the Badger), grocery store, garden and post office.  Their attention to detail was something else.  We will definitely go back and support them.  Especially since they said most of their funding is through donations. 


Then...we went to McDonalds and had lunch but really just so they could play on the large indoor play area.  Then! We went to see The Croods in 3D.  Big day!  It was fun.  I love my boys.  They were tired and grumpy by the time we got home, but they had a great day.  I'm grateful that we can give them days like today. 

Build A Bear

Dane's 3rd birthday is quickly approaching. I had decided I wanted to get him a Build A Bear. In our house Build A Bear's double as the acceptable "doll" figure.  A hem.  They can dress them and channel their nurturing side. Nana got Will Monkey for his 3rd birthday. So the other day we went to Build A Bear to look at options, and ended up picked out a new friend for Dane a few weeks early.  Nana (and Momma) couldn't resist! 

Look at that sweet boy patiently waiting for his new friend!!

 

 

Working the foot paddle to make him.

 

 

Putting in his heart.  And born was Ruff Ruff   no, Bear Bear , no Bear Bear Ruff. (we think)



 

Giving Bear Bear Ruff his first bath and brush. 

The boys with their pals.  (Bear Bear Ruff in his camo sleeping bag and Spiderman jam jams and "Monks" in his new Luke Skywalker outfit complete with glowing light saber - thanks Nana!!)

Bedtime Snack

For the boys' bedtime snack they wanted milk, turkey pepperoni and strawberries.  If that combination wasn't gross enough, they're making sandwiches with pepperonis and stawberry slices in the middle.  Both claim they're great.  Gross!

Beach Time

We took a great walk on the beach today with our neighbor George Mikulyuk. I thought we were going to go hiking in the woods but we decided to head to the beach instead. It was surprisingly nice and the sun felt great on our faces. And what an adventure it turned out to be!  First of all, the beach was so wide, maybe wider than I've ever seen it which was fun.  Where the ice had built up and was melting, it made these giant circles of sand covered ice.  It was pretty bizarre, and so much fun to play on.  There were places where water was running underneath of them, with the sand and the melting ice acting like caves. 

 

 

This ice chuck broke open and all of these little icicles crumbled off.  I've never seen anything like it.