baby bump

christi shared this adorable photo with me last friday.
it made me SMILE so big. 
although it's so small, she's got a baby bump!

i think i'm more excited about her pregnancy than i was with my 2nd one.
{i don't think anything was more exciting than my 1st} *grin*
as a first-time mom to be, she might agree!

it's such a happy and exciting time.

and there's more exciting news!

her sister jenny is expecting her first {a girl} any day now.
how fun for them...to have their kids grow up together.

christi and ty's baby is due in december,
and they learn the sex in a few weeks.
when i learn, i'll try to remember to post here.

 

backyard bliss

i can't tell you how nice it is to have our own backyard again.
with kids and especially boys, it's a necessity.
the boys can run {and swim} until their hearts content,
which means they are ready for bed by day's end.

i often come home from work and find scout swimming
or running around the backyard butt naked.
because the backyard is pretty private, we let him.
{but the rule is when guests are over he has to wear bottoms}
here he is playing 'naked' football.

and here is finn on our new zipline.

can you believe scoutie took this photo?
he did such a great job catching his big brother in action.

this zipline was a very thoughtful gift from our friend nic
{whom we've known since we were newlyweds in tucson}.
he surprised us and had it mailed to our home a few weeks ago.

the line starts at the treehouse in the back corner and goes across
the entire length of the backyard to a large pine tree across from it.
it's about 80' in total length.

it's been a hit with visitors young and old.
auntie jen has taken it for a ride and had fun,
but i haven't yet, and i can't just take her word for it.
{i'm giving it a test run this weekend}

outdoor living is the biggest reason we live in san diego,
so it's great to finally be able to take full advantage of it again.
the sliding glass door from our living room to the backyard
stays open all day every day...literally when we are home.
{no mosquitos in coastal sd}

having a backyard again really is a wonderful.

~ i'm so grateful in fact, i can overlook the patches or sharp rocks and cactus
in the backyard...part of the previous owner's design.  someday those will go
but that's down the road. still so much to do inside.

saying goodbye

google

over the weekend i learned of cory monteith's recent death.
my heart sunk. 

i adored this kid from glee.

at 31, he isn't really a kid,
but i will forever see him as finn from the tv series glee,
the adorable and kind-hearted high school football
player turned glee club member in the show.
he couldn't dance, but he could sing. 

cory died from a drug overdose.
an addiction he had been battling since he was a teenager.
such a waste of a life, so young, so tragic.

though i don't really know this young man,
i have been mourning him along with so many of his fans.
my heart goes out to those family and friends who truly
knew him and loved him.

mr. monteith will be missed by many.

sir scout's knight-themed birthday

thank you cards have finally been sent out and scoutie
has read all the books he received for his special day.
he enjoyed them, but was thrilled to get a few toys too.
the kid had gotten so many books, as he was opening a
gift c and i got him, said "i hope it's not another book".
it was. {he loves books but toys are impt to 6 year olds}

it was nice to see him smile as he opened his other present -
a waterproof watch he had been wanting for months.
he had given us clear instructions that it had to have 'hands'
{no digital}.  since learning to tell time in kindergarten,
he has become fascinated with the concept of time.

sadly, i spent little time behind the camera at scout's party.
i had planned on taking lots of photos before the party started,
but i ran out of time. maybe next year i can talk a friend
{or family member}into being the official photographer.

i'll start with a pix of the birthday boy and the 7' knight that was used
as a prop.  the kids loved him, but because he was made out of tin
{thin metal}, they weren't allowed to playfight with him.



i found a shop in town that makes homemade pinatas





 

scout benjamin {6} and his favorite auntie {jen}

 

cute castle centerpiece by meri meri



dragon cake made my christopher. i love the
fruit roll-ups he used for the wings and the fire

 

and last but not least, here is a photo of the brave knights.  

i made their white tunics from men's t-shirts hours before the party.

i wasn't going to do this, but finn and auntie jen assured me the kids
would love to dress the part.  i found a template on line and a

can of red spray paint in the garage and just sprayed them.
{fabric paint would have been better}  

 

 

from left: tegan, scout, daniel, logan, jesse, finn, jacob, aidan + gavin
back: gavin

scout's tunic was a bit more special. i ordered his from somewhere on etsy.
he wore it every day for weeks before his birthday. he absolutely loves it!

 

it was so nice to have a backyard party again.
casual kid's parties are truly my favorite kind.
did you notice there are no girls in the photo above? 
this was per scout's request - ONLY boys were invited to his party.
the 'girls are gross' thing started early thanks to big brother. *grin*

oh and i almost forgot, the foam swords were a hit and as promised c,
the kids didn't get them until they were heading out the door.  they also left
with their very own cardboard shield which jen and i made the weekend before.
{i'll try to take a photo of finn and scout's shield and share here}

finn air

a few weeks ago, i was on the internet looking for an affordable airfare
so i could accompany c to israel next month.
i came across finnair, an airline i had never heard of before.
i smiled.

how could i not love an airline that has my firstborn's name in it?
as you could have guessed, the airline flies to finland,
as well as the other scandanavian countries.

i showed to finn and said someday, i'd like to fly finnair with
my finn {and all the boys}. he smiled and said me too.

as for that trip to israel,  sadly, i won't be tagging along with c.
for 2 weeks my company's travel agent{and i} looked for a
reasonable flight there and back and we simply couldn't find one.

the most affordable flight was $2,100.
not reasonable for my budget. *sigh*
c has his ticket and is very excited.
{and lucky for him, his trip is all expenses paid}

he promises to eat tons of new foods for me
and to take photos {we'll see about this last one}.
while he's away, i hope to have a little fun too.

i plan on taking a few days off work to spend some
time with my mom, leslie and her family and i'm taking
a weekend trip with the little guys...just mom and boys.
i'm not sure where to yet, but i have some ideas!

~ scoutie's bday pictures are coming.
first things first, we had to get thank you cards out.
he has 2 more to write and then i will share.

birthdays galore

july is a busy month for birthdays!

just day's after scoutie's celebration,
we've got 3 more in the family - all today, july 10th.

first, i'm celebrating christopher's birthday,
the amazing man who chose to share his life with lil' old me.
i'm also celebrating my sweet mum and my oldest sister's birthdays.
though i can't be with them, they are in my thoughts today.

it's only 7am and i've already left home and come back.
i picked up a mocha frapp from starbucks for the birthday boy,
and a boston creme pie from our local von's bakery {c's favorite}



 

 

 

 

 



i'm determined to leave work early tonight so i can be home to make dinner for
the birthday boy. i don't know exactly what it will have, but i know it will include
a peanut sauce. {another of c's favs}

 

and before i sign off, i'll end with 8 things i love about my husband,

 

- his family is his priority.  we know we are first, his work second and everything else after.

{i'm in awe of how he can have a deadline and set it completely aside to be with us, then jump
back on his laptop and finish it after we are in bed}.

 

- he typically eats all the ice cream in the house, which keeps me from getting as big as brazil!

 

- he has great taste in music.

 

- he understands the best way to raise our boys is by example. he not only understands this, he lives it.

 

- he takes care of our family - not just monetarily, but in a million other ways. he is our repairman, builder, designer, and our in-house IT specialist. 

 

- he is sexy. {roll your eyes if you want but he is to me}. good genes count for some of it, but he takes care of himself too.  i'm in awe this man who at 42, still has a 30" waist. 

 

- he dreams big, takes chances and isn't afraid to fail.  this belief has carried over to the rest of us. i heard finn say, "even scientists fail, that's how we learn" when he's created something that didn't quite work the way he wanted.   

 

- he's a big old softie.  i'll never forget the look on his face at our wedding, and our vow renewals in mexico.  {a sweet/sensitive movie might even bring a tear}. i love this about him!

 

 

happy birthday christopher. you are SO loved!!!  

someone's six

when i was one, i had just begun,
when i was two, i was nearly new.
when i was three, i was hardly me.
when i was four, i was not much more.
when i was five, i was just alive,
but now i am six, i'm as clever as clever
so i think i'll be six now forever and ever
- a.a. milne, written in 1927

 

 

 

 

 

 

our baby is six today! *gasp*
six years ago today, july 6, 2007,
this blue-eyed boy joined our family
is it possible it's been that long? 

i am up at the crack of dawn this saturday morning
to make the birthday boy breakfast {a tradition in our home}.
this year scoutie requested it in bed, which is not a tradition.  

he also requested that his birthday breakfast be 'fancy".
i asked what exactly he meant by that and he explained that his
pancakes or waffle need to have fruit like a face OR be a special shape.
then he said 'like what me and finn did for you on mother's day.
ahhh, how could i forget.

but before i start breakfast,
i'm keeping with my tradition of a tribute post to our birthday boy:

- scout is a reader
this little boy learned to read at age 4 and this year, by the end of kindergarten,
was tested and is reading at a 4th grade level. to hear him read outloud will leave
you with your eyes wide and mouth open - LITERALLY.  yes, we are proud parents,
but even more than this, we love that he is a reader. it enriches his life.
he's learned about countries all over the globe as he's followed dan and amy,
the lead characters of his favorite book series, 39 clues.

- scout is sensitive a harsh word or tone can bring him to tears {or make him act out in anger}
his sensitivity and spiritedness requires us to be more thoughtful about our
choice of words and tone with him.  when someone is anxious in the family,
he experiences it in a viseral way.  this reminds us all to be aware of our actions.

- scout has a sweet tooth
if we let him, he'd have dessert EVERY night of the week.
his sweet preference would be for chocolate ice cream or oreos.
{he is his father's child in this way}

- scout is a good friend
because he's sensitive, we think he tunes in to the feelings
of those around him a little more, especially friends. 
learning how to be a good friend takes practice.
we're glad he's getting an early start.  

- scout enjoys art
when he hears big brother talking about being a robotics engineer,
scout will announce "i'm going to be an artist". i chuckle as i know
he so badly wants to have a declaration like finn, but he's a typical kid.
he doesn't seem to have a true passion yet, but he has  many interests.  still, he enjoys art
so i keep the invention room stocked with paper, crayons, markers and
painting supplies for when the mood strikes him. who knows where it will lead.

- scout is a natural athlete
it must come from the gerber side, because though his mother enjoys
some sports and staying active, i don't think anyone would call me a true athlete.
scout naturally has good balance, a competive drive, and an ability to pick things up
quickly.  last weekend he learned to dive in an afternoon.  {probably better than i can}

that's 6 things about our 6 year old, but i forgot something:
- scout loves his big brother
though they have their share of fights and disagreements,
scout appreciates that big brother finn always has his back.
he so much wants to be included in all the 'bigger kid' activities
and finn let's him 99.9% of the time.  scout currently holds the rank of
2nd in command in finn's spy club which is made up all older kids.
that ranking reminds us of the deep love these two boys have for each other.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

like the poem above says,
our little guy is six and is as clever as clever,if only he'd stay six forever and forever.

i'm so grateful to be called mom by this sweet six year old.

 

picture book of the year

i don't know how this book rates amongst
publication professionals but iggy peck architect
rates #1 in our home right now in the category
of children's picture books.



the boys are really way past picture books now,
but who can resist one with a great story, humor,
a lesson to learn and amazing illustrations?
this mom can't.

i found it on-line one evening when i was searching
for a book for scout's kindergarten pal's birthday.
i admit the title with the word 'architect' caught my eye,
but that wouldn't be enough.

i read the reviews and they were glowing.
i ordered the book and before we wrapped it,
i read to the boys and we were smitten.

i ordered two more - one for our library, and one for my
friend jen's son, keith who just celebrated his 5th birthday.
{you might remember him from this post}

i've read hundreds {probably thousands} of children's
books over the years and iggy peck architect stands out.
one reviewer described it perfectly,
"a hilarious, irreverent book about doing your own thing"

parents, this is a must have for your library.
you'll enjoy every bit as much as your children.

nite

birthday bash ahead

i've missed blogging.
i enjoy it and there's so much i want to record
but there's only so many hours in a day.

other than SUMMER stuff,
the biggest thing on my plate this past weekend
and this week will be prepping for scoutie's upcoming
birthday party.  my baby is turning 6 on july 6th!

with a house that is 50 years old
i could work on it every weekend for the next 10+ years
{that is no exaggeration} however,
i have to enjoy life and make some time for fun,
and making the boys' birthdays special is something worthwhile.

though i've only just begun thinking about specifics,
scout did select 'Knights' as his theme a few months back.
after poking around on etsy and not seeing anything i loved,
i found these adorable invites by meri meri on amazon.

 

 

the red feather incorporated into the invite is fun,

and the boxed set even includes castle drawbridge thank you cards. 

{perfect as sending handwriten notes are a must in our home}

 

scout is counting down the days until his BIG day,

and c and i are looking forward to not having to haul anything to

another place this year, as this little celebration will be held right

here in the backyard of our new 'old' home.

christopher, as always, will be the designated cake designer,

and i will decorate a tiny bit.  since it will be a pool party,

i hadn't planned on doing more than displaying a cute castle

centerpiece on the food table, but yesterday in homegoods,

i walked past a 7' tin knight!  I thought how appropriate for scout's party.

i couldn't stop thinking about it.

 

today i went back to the store to return something {with auntie jen in tow},

and this knight was still there....just waiting for me.

i guess knights aren't in high demand right now. *grin*

christopher thought i was out of my mind when i pulled up in

the driveway with this knight in the back of the volvo.

 

so what will i be doing with this 7 foot piece of tin?

the knight will be a PROP {only} for sir scoutie's birthday party

this coming sunday.  i'm anticipating guests posing next to him

or if they rather not, he can just stand there looking cool.

{i'll be sure to get a photo of him}

 

the knight theme is being taken very serious by scoutie.

 

this past weekend, i went through some serious knight training.

scout and finn discovered the foam swords i purchased as birthday 

party favors and they've been brushing up on their skills.

i was told i was the lowest ranked knight there was,

but after my training, which involved running around the pool 5x,

learning several sword moves and jumping over a sword as the boys

raised it higher and higher {think opposite of limbo}, finn and scout

declared i made it to level 2. whew!

 

BOYS - oh how i love 'em!! 
{they keep me moving and encourage me to be healthier so i can keep up}

 

~ c wasn't thrilled about the foam swords. i bought them on my own

because they were inexpensive and the boys had been using painting stir

sticks from home depot which were dangerous. the foam swords are far safer. 

i promised c i'd hand them out at the end of the celebration.