My Two Valentines

We had such a great day today!

First, the cable guy came!! We have not had cable for about 6 years now.  It's been horrible.  Every time I visit my parents I basically sit in front of the tv relishing HGTV, MTV, and whatever those Kardashian girls are up to. ( Don't judge, the boys abandon me to play with their cousins and basically forget I am in the house whenever they are there!!)  And finally, FINALLY, Bob half heartedly agreed to let me get it.  I didn't wait around for him to change his mind.  I signed us up the next day.

We were all really excited about it and I let the boys flip through every glorious cartoon channel with their bowl of ice cream until they couldn't stand it.  Then they gave me the best Valentines present they ever could and played happily together while me and a girlfriend watched horrible reality tv gossiping and giggling away.  It was pure heaven.

Bob also sent me flowers! Now, don't get me wrong, he has gotten me flowers before.  But there is something about having flowers SENT to you that's just so romantic.  Especially as a stay at home mom...I need some of the perks working women get, and they get flowers sent to their office! 

We ended the night the same way we always do.  Cuddling up and reading.  We have a solid bed time routine and it makes us all feel wonderful.  I read 2-3 books to the boys (depending on how late it is...sometimes 4) then I tuck them in and Bob sings them a few songs.  After I can hear them all snoring I go in and wake up Bob, who has inevitably fallen asleep on the floor. What I really love about it, is that every night, no matter how badly the day has gone, we all enjoy this time.  It feels good sending them off to sleep knowing they feel safe and loved.  It's really quite beautiful.  As I leave the room, they always yell out things to me, they are usually the same things.

"Mom! You're beautiful!- To which I reply, "You're adorable!"

"We love you mom!"- To which I say, "Oh, I love you so so much!"

"Sweet dreams!" - To which I repeat back, "Sweet dreams my loves."

The same statements exchanged night after night. 

Tonight, however, I got a "Happy Valentines Day Mom!" To which I replied, "Thank you. You two are my valentines and I love you!" Then Grant followed up, "Do you love Dad Mom?!"

"Yes, I love Dad!"

Oh, do I love Dad.  He was instrumental in giving me you two.  I have three boys that fill up my heart and are my world.  I'm a lucky girl....

Happy Valentines Day!

D'oh!

I have been trying to get the boys to eat more veggies.  This, as you can guess, is a struggle.  They will do corn (which I know technically isn't a vegetable but close enough) and they will do my brown sugar carrots.  Beyond that it's usually a struggle.  And we always lose.

The other night, I had Aid help me cut up beans.  I have found a new recipe that is so delicious it would be hard for any veggie hater to deny that they are yummy.  He was very excited about them and said he couldn't wait to eat them!  I threw in, " And, if you eat your beans, there will be ice cream for dessert."

"Total mom score!" I thought.

 I underestimate these two.

As we were eating dinner I noticed that neither had touched the beans (all three I put on their plate. 3!!)  I said, "Remember if you eat your beans you get your ice cream! Let's have a race and see who can eat their beans first!"

On your mark, get set, GO!

Aid hesitated and Grant saw his opening.  (He usually loses the races.) He ate one, and then shoved the other two in his mouth.  He turned to look at Aid who was making gagging sounds and spitting his out.  So then of coarse, Grant made gagging sounds and spit his out.  They both got a stern lecture about how rude it is, etc.  I threw in, "And there will definitely be no ice cream tonight!" (Ha! Take that ya little bugger!)

"That's ok. It's ok if we don't get ice cream isn't it Grantie?" Aid says.  "Yup!" Grant agrees and they walk off.

Me and Bob looked at each other.  "I really thought that was going to work," I said to Bob.  "Score one for Aid,"  Bob replied.

Foiled again.  But there will be a rematch little man.  Don't think I give up that easily!!






 

Grandma Bread

My mom makes this Amish/Friendship type bread.  It's delicious.  And the boys love it.  Grant, especially, asks for it morning noon and night.  It's one of those revolving-starter breads that you have to bake every 10 days.  I kept it up for about a month before I dropped it like a hot potato.  I do not like baking.  I dislike it even more if I am required to do it every 10 days.  Even more when you realize how much sugar and flour you will have to go through to maintain it.

But my mother loves her grandchildren and will do just about anything to make them happy..... including sending them frozen Grandma bread.  We get several loaves at a time and they go into the freezer.  So now Grant can wake up in the morning and have his daily dose of it.  I can't believe she does it.  I know some may see it as silly; but it warms my heart that just as they are running out another box arrives.  They feel thought of.  Remembered.  And loved.

Thank you Mom. You are such a good Grandma to these two.  Distance has not changed that.  Not even a little bit.

Operation Get Grant Out of Our Bed

It has turned into a family effort.

This morning I suggested to Aid that he talk with his brother and teach him how to sleep in his own bed.  I overheard this conversation:

Aid: Grant, come over and sit on your bed. I want to talk to you.

Grant: Ok, Aid.

Aid: Grant, look at me when I'm talking to you.  I want to show you how to sleep in your bed.  Look, you get your stuffy (in which case for Grant is currently his baby triceratops) and you cuddle him up like this.  Then you put your pillow like this.  Then you close your eyes.  It's easy.  Are you listening to me?

Grant: Yeah, but it's scary.  Shadows are scary. And Aid, look, Grandma gave me my teracops. 

Aid: Yeah, I know she did.  I got three, and you got one.  (Really they were supposed to each get two, but Aid talked Grant into giving him an extra one and no amount of convincing would change his mind) but it's ok. Mom and Dad will keep you safe.  It's their job.  They told me.  And then you get your present!

Grant:  Ok, Aid, I'll try.

I love these two.

Aid: The Teen Years

Ok, he's really only 5 1/2 but Dear Lord, I am getting a glimpse.  I am determined not to take it personally and keep a sense of humor about all of it. 

I made spaghetti tonight. The same spaghetti he ate in Oregon, but tonight I may have well set liver in front of him.  "NOT THAT RED STUFF ON THE NOODLES!!! YOU KNOW I LIKE THEM PLAIN OR WITH CHEESE!!" he bellows from the dining room.

"Aid, you cannot have the same noodles every single night for the rest of your life.  You liked this when Grandma Mac made it.  Try it."

"NO! I hate it.  I will never ever ever eat anything that you make and you will feel bad because then I will be hungry."

"Fine, you will be hungry.  I did get blueberries and long bread (French bread) just for you though."

Long pause.

"Ok. I'll eat the long bread and blueberries, but not ever ever those yucky red noodles."

"Got it."

Good grief.

We're Back!

Well, the flight home was much less dramatic.

Bob still somehow managed to get his own seat, but the boys were fantastic and I took a nap on the first leg of the trip and watched horrible reality tv after I caught up on my smut. Perfection.

We also ran into my sister and her family at the airport! They were visiting her husband's family in Kansas and it was hard missing so much time with her and my niece. Then she texted me,"Are you in Denver right now?"  "WHA? Are you?!" Turns out they were having breakfast when it occurred to her that we also had as lay over. In Denver. So they scarfed down their food and spent 5 minutes with us at our gate before we finally had to board. I waited until the last possible second. I miss having my sister around me. It was a perfect way to end a wonderful trip.

And we didn't die. So that helped. As did the Xanax a family friend who is a nurse gave me to help with my anxiety about it.  I must find a primary doctor because it was a much more relaxing way to travel.

Operation Antidote

We went to dinner at my best friend's house tonight. Seeing my friends that have known me for 20 years intensifies the desire to move back to Portland. We don't really have couple friends in Minnesota and it's nice having them back here. We get along, our kids get along. It's hard for me to leave it behind.

We brought some oranges to have at dinner. There was some chatter about needing ingredients for an antidote between our older sons; and then it was determined that the oranges were the perfect antidote. I thought this was clever, and funny and really what could they do with an orange? They can't yet open them without assistance. But then there was talk of getting a "driller." Aid was bummed that they didn't have one! Keldon excitedly yells, " I know Aiden! We need to build a driller to get the antidote!!"  They began to look around the house for tools and materials to use.

No oranges were taken and they disappeared. I assumed the game had ended.

I was wrong. 

We noticed while we were eating that Aid and Keldon were collecting oranges. Bob put limits around the oranges. They could each have one orange for their antidote. They both took their oranges upstairs after they were done eating.  A few minutes later they both come running down the stairs and ducked under the table, going in different directions. We see little hands bumping along the edge of the table. Operation get Antidote is in full swing. They are called out and run back to safety. Another few minutes pass and Keldon comes down and grabs a huge spoonful of lettuce. Cindy asked him what he was planning on doing with the lettuce. "Uh...I wanna eat it!" "Without any dressing or anything?" Cindy asked. "Uh...yep." And with that he at the lettuce. Then ran back upstairs.

Cindy said she heard Aid ask, "So did you get the salad?"

Time to regroup soldiers!