Canyon Lake and Tortilla Flats

Today was an interesting day. We took a daytrip to Apache Junction, AZ to try to find the Superstition Mountains. I say "try to find" because maps around these parts often just drift off, roads stop and start with no real consistency, and we're often left driving round and round the places we want to go with no way of knowing how to get in there. If you follow. But today, our maps rang true and we found the mountains we were seeking. We also found a great deal more, and I was very pleased. When we arrived there was a dust storm, but once that passed, well...see for yourself:

this was the view from the Canyon Lake Overlook in Tonto National Forest. There were a few lucky boaters out there, and this picture doesn't do the water justice. It was a clear, glittering turquoise--really beautiful. It was also noticeably cooler here, at this elevation--only 86 or so, as opposed to the 104 we are used to down in the valley.
Just around that huge lake was a strange shanty-town of sorts. Tortilla Flat, Arizona boasted a General Store, a restaurant, a post office, and a schoolhouse-turned-museum. There was also a Motel on the end with two very decrepit looking rooms, but the sign had been marked through with CHALK to let you know they weren't renting anymore. It is literally the town time forgot, and since the road turns to dust just past this stop, not many people remember to visit it either. There were a few that were obviously like us, taking a trip to see what we could see, and I'm sure they get some business from the marina down the street, but it was otherwise pretty desolate out there.

Along with Wyatt Earp, they also claim that Clark Gable, John Wayne, the Dirty Dozen and Colonel Sanders liked to stop in from time to time. snazzy.

THEN on the way down, we had more breathtaking views (again, this doesn't do it justice, there was no place to stop and get a decent picture, so at 40 MPH:

Then Carson talked us into stopping at this ghost town, and we're so glad we did! We thought it looked hokey from the road, but it was really pretty fun.

It was really an old mining town started by the Lost Dutchman, Jacob Walz, and turned into a spectacularly cheesy tourist town, but we dug it. There was a "Jail", a Livery where you could rent horses for the day, a church you could get married in, an old mine to explore, even a "Bordello" (only $2!) and tons of fantastic views of the mountains surrounding us.

They ALSO had a train station (full of Thomas paraphenalia, I might add. Time has certainly kept marching through this area.) that promised a real train ride through the ghost town complete with a grizzly Mr. Conductor who'd tell witty historical stories about the area complete with random cactus jokes. Where else are we gonna get this? So we bought tickets and waited for the train.



Fresh mountain air and the promise of a train ride make for some really well-behaved children! Must note this for future reference!

The Superstition Mountains Ghost town from the train. Superstition Mountains follow. Some people think the government has a secret lair in these rocks, which tries to explain why most people who venture out too far in them end up shot. Or abducted by aliens. Aliens are always hanging out around top secret military installations. duh.

you think this is a lot of pictures? wait till we go on vacation! And we weren't even done with the day yet--more to come! LOL

Advertising Works!

So Carson is a wily soon-to-be 5. Up until now, he's been largely unaware of commercials, treating them as run-around breaks during his favorite Spongebob episodes. But lately, I've noticed him paying rapt attention to these interruptions, and the remarks he makes afterward get me tickled.

"Mom! If you get a stain on your shirt, or Dad's shirt, you get that Tide Pen! It takes it off, see?"

"Mom! What's cardboard??" why sweetie?? "Because! Cardboard is an upgrade for Mampax!" *i may trademark this, don't steal it.

"Mom! We need to get that pediasure--it says it makes kids grow up big and strong! And it tastes great, too!!"

Let it be known that he's only allowed a certain amount of tv every day, and if we're otherwise occupied and can't watch, he doesn't get rollover minutes. So this is literally during the small window he is allowed. Advertising certainly works in this house!

Dear TV Execs

I love how you all have used the internet to keep us interested in tv shows that you run. Back in the day, we barely saw pics of our favorite characters outside of the show. Now they're on awards shows of every tiny thing imaginable, there are fansites on the 'net to tell you spoilers, cast bios, myspace profiles of characters (you can really be "friends" with Pam Beesly!!), clue games that may or may not follow the storyline (Lost, anyone?), even Trivia Superbowls to keep us interested! And the most ingenious use of the internet to keep us hooked? Having characters write blogs, in character. It makes them so much more real, so convincing.
Last summer I read quite a bit of Dwight Shrute's Shrutespace. And I've just found Creed Thoughts. If you watch the show, you know that Creed set up a blog at work, that Ryan cleverly set it up as a word document so that the world wouldn't REALLY be subjected to "Creed's Thoughts". But NBC sure capitalized on that, and voila! a blog! sooo smart and funny.
So, Dear TV execs, kudos to you. Thanks for keeping me entertained even when I'm NOT watching TV.

Ohhhhh so devious!!

I'm in for big trouble. At two-and-a-half, Trevor has already got me figured out. I bought the kids a box of Spongebob fruit snacks yesterday, and they will eat the whole box in a day if I let them.
So he asked for a pack today, and I got them. As soon as he was finished, he asked for another, and I said no. He threw a FIT! I got on the floor and threw a fit with him, which lately is how we diffuse the situation quickly. He thinks it's hysterical.
So he comes over and loves up on me, hugging me, saying "I love you Mama"..and just as I'm patting myself on the back for not getting angry or having to punish him for his outburst, he asks very sweetly, "Mama, can we WATCH bob-bob on tv??" The tv hasn't been on all morning so I say sure and go to turn it on.
As I'm walking away from the remote, he says in a very small, very cute voice: and I want some little tiny fruit snacks to eat while I watch this, pease.

I had to laugh. The boy is impossible. If he can "put me together", as Reed would say, at this early age...what am I in for later on? I'm afraid to find out.

Fun Night!

Reed got off early tonight so we had a quick dinner and then walked to the neighborhood park. The weather was perfect and there was another family there right as we walked up. This family had two cute little girls, and none of them spoke very much English at all. Carson doesn't fully grasp that people are speaking other languages, at least initially, and when she was talking to him at rapid-fire pace he thought she was just making funny noises and began saying "Blahblah blah!! blah blah! do da!!" back to her. I didn't want them to be offended and think he was making fun of her, so I started trying to translate. Boy, it is so much harder to translate in real life than it is in a classroom! But I got the gist of things and the mom came up and began interpreting as best she could for her daughter as well. They ended up really enjoying their playtime and were copying each other's phrases "Ven conmigo!!" and "Come with me!" and I took the opportunity to learn a few new words. Sombra (sp) means shadow...and we couldn't quite figure out if there was a word in Spanish for the game of "Tag"...all she kept repeating was jugar (to play), corre (run) and toca (touch??)...but all in all, I think we did really well. We even said at the end of the night "Quieres jugar conmigo un otro dia?" which hopefully means something along the lines of maybe we can play again another day, because they smiled and said yes. We said "Adios!" And they all yelled "Byebye!!"

very cute cross-cultural action, indeed. :) it also made me realise I REALLY need to brush up on the spanish and help the boys learn it before they get into school. it is SO prevalent around here, I don't want them to be behind...anyone have any suggestions? Kala, I'm looking at you, here...

Just Keep Swimming...

just keep swimming...what do you do? we swimmmmm...

This is at Alisa's house...their backyard is beautiful! Rock waterfall, sprayer in the middle, a huge "landing" of shallow water you can lay in (or sit and play) with a big umbrella for shade...what could be nicer?

Trevor took to swimming fairly quickly, which is why there are so many more of him out there...Carson was out and about on day 2 though...brave boys! Alisa really helped him get going by being the "tough cop" in the pool. :) LOL Once he gets out there, he loves it! They are all proud to swim by themselves and even race around together. Good exercise too, any day there's a swimfest we all get GOOD naps. :)~

Slow Going

So Trev isn't going to be as easy to potty train as Carson--who woke up one day determined never to wear diapers again and never really had another accident, day or night. I'm not sure how many people get that lucky. We battled on and off yesterday, but he did go twice more in the potty...but had a screaming fit for a diaper. We're just very attached. I think it hurts us that our diapers have Mickey Mouse on them. I would almost rather they be plain or ugly...maybe then he wouldn't want to wear them so badly. Maybe next time I should buy princess diapers....but I don't want to give the poor boy a complex.

Carson, on the other hand, has fallen in love with his new Wii game console. It's the coolest thing, and I don't mind him playing because he plays things like bowling--where you have to actually "bowl" an imaginary ball, tennis--practising a fake backhand is actually a workout, golf, boxing, etc...all make you MOVE. Reed and I played the first night we had it for a few hours and were SORE the next day. We had boxed each other and both joked that we'd really taken a beating...it's a workout. Click here to watch some funny people trying it out.
Back to the point...Carson has fallen in love with it so much I have to set a timer. He's only allowed a certain time to play, and I have to remind him to go to the potty. Yep, he actually peed on himself because he didn't want to mess up a game he was playing. I don't know if that's funny or disturbing. In any case, he's not just sitting on his behind, and I really think kids' eye hand coordination is going to be so far past our generation--those games are HARD!
Feeling a bit better these days, and hopefully back to normal soon. Thanks for all the cards, emails, calls and tokens. I felt so loved!

"Ayygo" Panties

I just watched my baby put on "Aygo" (Diego from Dora the Explorer) panties (underwear) on all by himself. He wouldn't even let me help.
We were at the store tonight and he announced that he wanted to wear panties. I've been trying to talk him into them for quite a while, and although he was intrigued by the idea he always waffled and said he wouldn't wear them. But tonight....it was HIS IDEA!!
I think it totally made the difference, because as soon as we got home, he wanted to put them on (I usually wash them first *ick* but he was so insistent, I figured what could it hurt?)
He put them on...and has ALREADY GONE POTTY, people. By Himself.

He is happily munching on a pina colada lollipop from the "Potty Treats" bag I had taped high above the boys' toilet. He wants to tell the world. We would call family but I think it's a bit too late on the east coast, even for pee announcements, so they'll wait till tomorrow. But he is singing "Go Aygo, Go!! Peepee in the potty!! Go Aygo Go! Peepee in the potty!" in two very distinct melodies...so I don't even know if that's something you can picture. But it's pretty darn cute.

*sniff* when did my baby get this old?

Tuesdays

Tuesdays are always kinda boring for me. I don't know why. They just always seem to be mundane and ho hum. Today we did some errands *yawn*, took Daddy lunch at work *not bad but nothing exciting*, and bought a vacuum. Actually, I am pretty excited about the vacuum. It's one of those superlightweight any-kind-of-floor deals, like a dust buster on steroids. It's all I asked for on Mother's Day. Woohoo! Sometimes the boys spill popcorn or crush cereal and there is no sense in dragging out the huge Kirby to do a 5 second job...but this will actually get it all up. My visitors will thank me.

See what I mean? How boring! A vacuum, and I'm all excited. I need to get back to being creative while I have some free time before school starts back up, but I just can't get motivated. I look at Tuesday'sfrog and other crafty women and just think "Crap! I can't even begin to do things that nice!" so I just don't. Nice, huh?

The only cool thing I did today was talk to my old friend Kala, who unfortunately doesn't have a blog to link to, although she has two of the cutest kiddos around. They look like they could be siblings to mine, and funnily enough, her daughter's name is Carson also...which leads my Carson to get the nickname "Big Carson". :) Big Carson and Jack were quite the buddies, and were also wannabe superheros, as witnessed here (they are the two supermen)

We miss them and all our other little buddies quite a bit and wish we could take them with us when we move, and never have to part. In any case, we left with great pictures and great memories and even dreams to share! So thanks, to Jackson, Carson, Hayden, Emerson, Austin and all the rest...can't wait to see you all in a few years to see how much you've grown! Keep in touch!

See how emotional I am these days? I'm getting downright sweet. We've been doing alot of swimming lately in Aunt Alisa and Unlce Scott's pool and the boys are getting pretty good! it didn't take long and I'm grateful. They'll be able to have fun this summer!

I have pictures but they aren't uploaded yet. So I leave you with this, from one of my favorite artists, Brian Andreas.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there! You are all wonderful! Enjoy your special day, hope it's great!

In Five Short Years...

and look what happens. Baby Boys turn into Big Boys. We're almost ready to start kindergarten...it's all he can talk about sometimes. How he's going to play kickball and make friends and have a girlfriend (ack!!) and how his teacher will like him and how he'll say "yes, ma'am" when she talks to him. chubby cheeks are slimming down, so are legs and arms that seem to grow by the minute. He's tall enough to reach the top of my bureau, so that's no longer an option for hiding toys. Thomas the Train has given way to Hot Wheels! (beat that!) and Superman, and the cutesy boy clothes I used to pick out have been replaced by button down shirts everyday since he is fully dressed before I'm even awake these days. he's become helpful to his mama in a never-ending quest for more stickers (to buy more hot wheels! of course) and cleans up his room and makes his bed on his own. Less than 2 months before he turns 5, and what a Little Man already...

The things that don't change through the years? Big, clear blue eyes that can hold attention from across the room. A wide mouth that doesn't hesitate to smile. Unruly blond hair that seems to have perpetual bed-head. And a heart of gold..

Congrats, Carson, you're on your way. I'm proud of the boy you already are, and looking forward to seeing what's to come...

C-A-U-L-I....

Last night it was just me and Trevor, as Carson was off being Sales Manager again at Reed's work. So we played his current game, where he takes down food orders and pretends to cook it and I have to pretend to eat it.
When I say "apples, turkey and carrots", he scibbles dutifully in his order-taking pad, goes away a minute and then comes back "holding" my food. We played for so long that I was running out of common things to say and tried to think of new foods.
Trevor: "What you want to eat, Mama?"
Me: "hmm...how about cauliflower?"
Trevor: moves to write, pauses..."How you spell dat?"

Did I mention he's TWO? And can't begin to spell any of the other words I give him? Apparently he thinks he can spell all the rest, but cauliflower had him stumped. I love this kid...

Mayonaise

A really long time ago a friend and I argued with another friend over a jingle for Hellman's Mayonaise. This other friend insisted the jingle went "Bring out the Best Food, and bring out the best!" while we insisted it was Hellman's, not Best Food. He was pretty adamant, and while I privately conceded it was likely they'd used it for something else, nobody was budging publicly. This conversation was brought up more than once with not-so-innocent humming whenever we asked for mayonaise for things. Well, I just saw a commercial for Best Food Mayonaise...and the label looks exactly like Hellman's does back home. The jingle...the same. So I just want to publicly say, here and now...never argue over mayonaise. You might all be right.

Oh Susannah...

Carson is also fixated on being married these days. No clue where this came about, except I know he all of a sudden started asking questions about when I married Daddy, and wanting to see pictures and whatnot. At first he tried to tell me he was marrying Kimberly, but Daddy promptly reminded him that A.) we are no longer in the south and B.) we never lived in Kentucky so it didn't matter anyway. No marrying yer kin, boy!
So his favorite song is "Oh Susannah!" and he sings this, day and night, for friend and stranger alike. I seriously thought we were going to get tips in Walmart, and Reed also tells me he has sung for everyone at the dealership now. So I get the bright idea that "Hey! Maybe you should marry someone named Susannah, since you're doing all this practicing wooing her and all." Thinking that maybe, it will get him to stop obsessing over marrying Kimberly, who just happens to be the only non- married girl he knows. It was a great idea, but now he talks about Susannah ALOT. About how they're getting married and how he'll go to Alabama and carry a banjo. I asked him if he knew exactly what a banjo was, and he said with a look that said DUH, Mom..."Well, I'll have one on my knee...." as if that explained it all. I mean, is it a wart? a denim patch? Guess details aren't important when you're meeting your true love.

Nobody's winning any Grammy's yet...

Sometimes I just post pictures and don't really tell much of what is going on these days. During the day, when funny things come up, I always think "Oh, I should write that down for posterity!" but I always forget and then something else funny happens...and I get behind. Here are the few from this week I can remember:

~ one of Trevor's new favorite movies is Big Mama's House. No, it's not kid friendly, so don't really let your kids watch it, but he loves watching Martin Lawrence play basketball dressed as "Big Mama", and all the silly facial expressions and noises she makes. The other day in Walmart, an older black woman of...ample proportions was grocery shopping ahead of us, and you guessed it! Trevor yells out "Look, it's Big Mama in the house!!" I tried to just brush it off but he kept insisting that we all see that Big Mama was, indeed, in the house. I finally had to go to the craft section and just sit a bit until I thought she was far enough ahead. I was so. embarrassed.

~ Carson is totally fixated on his hero worship of all things "Daddy". Reed used to wear dress shirts and ties every day, so I had to buy him a button up and a cute blue and green tie (clip on). I thought it was adorable, until he started wanting to wear the thing, EVERY DAY. Um, we live in Arizona folks...it gets hot here. But he insists on shirt and tie, and jeans! every day, regardless. He's even started requesting that I iron the shirt. No can do, buddy. I probably should get the child more shirts, though, his gets washed at least 5 times a week. (I make him take it off alot under the guise of playing in the sprinkler or taking a bath, and when he comes back...it's hidden. But he always finds it the next day!)

~ Reed has been able to take Carson to work a few times now..usually for just an hour or two. Today, however, I took him dinner around 5:30 and Carson got to stay with him at work until 9. I've been told he was a huge hit. Salespeople take him on their deals to talk to customers, he wears a name badge of Reed's that says "Manager" on it, he shakes customers' hands, he delivers numbers to the table. The customers there think it's a riot, and Carson has a HUGE head about how he "goes to work" and "works with Dad". It melts my cold, cold heart. :) <3

~ Our other favorite movie is currently "The Lion King". Trevor and Carson definitely share genes, as they belt out the same wrong words to "The Circle of Life". "It's da circle of wife...And it moves us on...Frew da stairs and home frew faith and wuv....till we find our place...on the path ummmmiding it's DA CIRCLE!! da CIRCLE of WIFE..." (ending sung with much gusto.) I have to admit, I'm intrigued by a circle of wife(s). I think a lot more would get done if I had a circle of them here. maybe they're on to something.

Ode to Flava Flav...

okay, so he doesn't have a grill, but it's still pretty funny

..

Big Boy

"Mama...I a big boy. I not need nap! I gonna sit on couch and watch Nemo. I not sleepy!! I....not....slee....."

Good one, Trevor. You definitely don't LOOK sleepy...

His Two Favorite Things

The other day Carson was begging me to take him to the bank.
"Why do you want to go to the bank so badly, Carson?"
dead serious and slightly exasperated look on his face:
"Because, Mom, the bank has my two favorite things--money, stickers, and suckers."

Easter Sunday

Yesterday we colored eggs with Aunt Alisa and Kimberly...they had a great time! Then we went to a local Easter Egg Hunt in Goodyear, and they had a blast! We hunted eggs, jumped in those bouncy things, went down crazy slides and decorated paper eggs. The kids made out with a good bit of loot! Then this morning the boys got their Easter baskets...The bunny was sweet to them! They got gardening gloves to help mom pull weeds :) LOL, cool new bath towels from Granny, and a big stash of candy, eggs, stickers and water guns from Grandpa and Jaime. We also made yummy strawberry cupcakes and decorated them with peeps! So cute! Then I hid our eggs (Trevor calls them "ayds") and let the boys find them...over and over. This has probably taken up most of our day today. Hiding and Finding...Hiding and Finding...even in the same places, they think it's hysterical.

Happy Easter Everyone!

Sedona Sweet

My mom used to have a cd of new age music that was called "Sedona Suite". I don't know why I remember that, but that's always what I think of when I hear "Sedona". I can see why they make "relaxation" music about it..the place is breathtaking. Reed, the boys and I went there yesterday for a day trip. The boys were completely bored, but us old folks enjoyed it. The pictures don't do it justice...this is the first time I was wishing for a panoramic lens, because you really needed it to capture everything you saw. We were surpised, however, because when you usually see these pictures, we, at least, picture this incredibly vast area of beauty, and while the whole area IS pretty...only a very small portion of it looks like this, with red rock cliffs that are staggeringly steep and majestic. The surrounding areas are more rolling mountainside with dark soil and lots of harsh looking green shrubs dotting the sides. Very strange. The dots on the one picture are from our very dirty windshield...I took that one from the car. :)

Anyway, enjoy! And if you want to listen to relaxing music while you surf the net...click here