My oh my, what a beautiful day

Today all of us are a little under the weather, but Stratton managed to really brighten up my morning. We were riding in the car listening to his favorite CD of kids songs. One of the songs is Louis Armstrong singing "Zip-a-dee-do-dah." Stratton asked to listen to it a couple of times in a row and then asked me to turn the music off so that he could sing. He then sang the whole song for me, Louis Armstrong style. It was the funniest thing I've ever heard. One 3 year old white boy busting it out like Satchmo. How could that not put a smile on your face?

Do you hear the word that I am saying?

A few weeks ago, Stratton was having a hard time listening and was helping himself to some brownies. I told him "No" several times and finally said, "Can you hear what I'm saying? No!" He promptly responded, "Do you hear the word that I am saying? Yes!" That pretty much sums up how the last couple weeks have felt. It feels like the more we try to push ahead with things for the move, the more it pushes back! But if moving to Alaska and having a 3 year old boy can't teach us patience, nothing can. Brigg didn't get much of a Spring Break since his WREBs overlapped with the school's break, but we were able to do a few fun things.

We played in all the snow ALOT. Stratton really likes playing in the snow now and built his first full size snowman and fort with his Dad's help in the backyard. He was very proud of his construction projects!

We also went on a ride on the Cuyahoga Valley train for their Food Drive. Stratton enjoyed it most, but we all enjoyed a nice, relaxing morning.

Dashell has been into all kinds of trouble. I love this face. "What are you looking at Mom? It's like you think I've done something naughty." His first artistic endeavors all over his face are just the beginning. He continues to have a fiery temper, but he makes up for it with quite the sense of humor and love of life- I really think he insisted on being born for Christmas because he couldn't bear to miss the party! He follows Piper around saying "Puppy" in his growly man-baby voice and makes all of us laugh.

Dash also had his first haircut. I resisted as long as possible because little boys look so much older after their first haircut, but I finally gave in after he started getting knots in his baby mullet. He liked going to the indoor water park that we went to one day to get out of the house, but Stratton was much more cautious this year over last. Maybe he won't be as reckless as I thought! Stratton continues to keep us laughing. He talks non-stop about everything. He told his friend's mom during preschool that he wanted to be a robot when he grows up. He talks abut everything he sees (and doesn't see) in the car and just the other morning when I asked him if he wanted some of Dash's eggs he told me, " Sometimes when I don't like eggs, I do." Not clear on what that means. We are glad to be on the other side of WREBs and grateful that they went as smoothly as they did for Brigg. It was one more major step forward. I am so proud of Brigg. He has worked so hard to become a great dentist!We are loving our little boys and the adventures that go with them. We just wish we were a little closer to the next big adventure. The stack of boxes in Dash's room is growing, but we don't have anywhere to send them yet!

Just Holding On!

We are just holding on for the next 3 months- I'm not sure we are ready for all the changes coming our way! Just so you know, right now we are planning to move to Fairbanks, Alaska following Brigg's graduation mid-May, but everything that has to be done to make that happen is a little intimidating. I think the hardest part is not being able to do much right now, but knowing that an overwhelming amount of stuff will have to happen very quickly in a month or two. So, for now, I think we will go play in the backyard some more. Get the boys used to living in snow!

New Year Resolutions, Mid-January

It may be the middle of January, but I wanted to formally declare my New Year Resolutions so that I would remember this year. year, I wanted to go simple. If I can maintain this daily, I won't need reminding. But just in case I lapse, I can remind myself and start again. This year, I have the same resolutions as a mother and for myself personally.

1. Read every day- individually and with my kids

2. Do something creative every day- I want to make sure that I don't avoid creative activities with my boys just because they can take a little more time, effort or make a bigger mess. And I am happier when I get to do something creative, too. Being creative in any form is something truly personal for me, and that can be invaluable in my current lifestyle as a full time mother!

3. Play outside every day- a little fresh air every day makes everyone happier, healthier and is just plain fun!

So that's it. Three things to do every day. I think that from the perspective of my mothering, if I can fit in these three things for my boys every day, whatever else happens or doesn't happen won't be as big of a deal. And that's good, because a lot of things don't happen when I think they should. For me personally, I am hoping that if I can stick with these three things it will bring me a little more peace and balance. Now it is time to test my resolve. Happy New Year!

Here's to you, Big Man!

This cake looks A-OK!

Christmas, Start to Finish

We began our Christmas with a violently sharp Christmas tree that we got here in Ohio. Stratton got to the point that he wouldn't put ornaments that had fallen off back on because it was "too pokey" and it drew blood from me on more than one occasion. But, we wanted one that would discourage Dashell from getting in to too much trouble, and it certainly made him keep his distance. Next year, we aren't going to get such a prickly tree- it takes all the fun out of decorating! The month of December was a busy one for us with Brigg preparing for Boards and all the other events that go with holiday celebration. In fact, one day we got so caught up in everything else that was going on that we forgot about our tickets to the Country Lights in Kirtland and missed it entirely! I didn't even realize it until the next day and I was MAD at myself. But, in reality, it probably wouldn't have been too fun that day because we were all running a little thin, so maybe it was all for the best after all. And will teach me to make my life simpler in December next year! After Brigg took his boards, we flew to Alaska for 2 weeks and it was heaven.

This is a picture of Brigg and me with my brother and two of my nephews, Chandy and Graham on a quick little overnight snowmachine trip we took in to the White Mountains. Can you guess who is who? If it helps, Brigg told me I was sporting an 80s vibe. We had the best time while we were there. I hadn't been home to Alaska in the winter for almost 10 years, and I LOVED it. It felt more like home than when I have visited during the spring and summer, probably because winter is how I remember life there! We went snowmachining, to the hot springs, dog mushing, cross country skiing, and did as much as we possibly could. There just wasn't time for everything! We atill had a pretty good list of things we would like to do when we left. Usually, I am always ready to come home after vacation, but not this time. It felt way too short! There was just too much to do and too much good company!

The boys did great while we were there. This is Stratton all suited up to go dog mushing at -30 F. Who says that cold weather isn't kid-friendly? They both loved their grandparents and all the attention. And I loved having someone else to help provide all the attention. My family also has alot of Christmas season birthdays, so we were able to celebrate Dashell's 1st birthday and his cousins Graham and Nelsons birthdays too. And we were thinking of my other brother on his birthday and the day his new daughter was born while we were there,too!

This is a picture of Stratton and me and my brother and his kids dog mushing. Just take my word for it, we are there under all the layers! We have had such a hard time coming back to real life in Cleveland, although the snow has helped. I think that I just have a little snow in my blood. I love it. It makes everything so much more beautiful and more fun. Stratton has gotten over his aversion to cold and is playing outside all the time since we have been back, and Dashell is trying to convince us that he didn't turn 1, he turned 3 just like his brother. I cannot believe how quickly this past year has gone, and I am so grateful to have a charming one year old boy on this end instead of being enormous and waiting for a baby like last year. Dashell has brought so much joy to our home and makes us a better family. We love him and his funny little personality. He is talking up a storm. My mom says that his vocabulary is Mom, Dad, uh-oh, bye bye and a whole string of swearing. When he gets mad, he can really tell you off. But most days he is happy and charming and so fun you forget that he could ever have a temper. I am so glad that my mom and dad got to see him at this fun age before he can start causing real, deliberate trouble. So, now we are back to Cleveland, and for the boys and me, this will be the long haul. We won't leave again until we really leave. I cannot believe that 4 years have gone by so fast. I don't think that I would recognize Brigg and I moving here without any kids, all our belongings in 1 small trailer anymore. I wish everything would still fit in 1 small trailer, but I don't think that we will be so lucky this time around! We had a beautiful Christmas and are sad for it to be over, but now we are looking ahead to the uphill climb ahead of us. Happy New Year!

Stratton's Dog

I was going to do a post about decorating our Christmas tree, but none of the pictures I took while we were decorating turned out blurry. Probably too much chaos! Everyone was blurred from moving all over the place. So instead, I thought that I would write a short ode to a stuffed animal who has been a part of our lives for over 3 years. Stratton has been inseperable from this little stuffed dog since he was only 8 or 9 weeks old. He always sleeps with it and used to take it everywhere with him. And yes,it really is as gross as it looks. Runs through the laundry hardly seem to make a difference anymore.

For almost three years, we have only known Stratton's faithful companion as "Dog". Short, simple and to the point. It seemed to be all the name he needed. But Stratton is getting older and now feels the need to give Dog a new name. Now, instead of Dog, he is always looking for "Booger Dog" or sometime just "Booger". I hope Dog doesn't feel that his dignity and signifigance in Stratton's life are diminished by his new title. If anything, he should be honored. I think that for a 3 year old boy to call something "Booger" is a true sign of love. And thank goodness that the only things they get to name are stuffed animals!