Comes with having a southern accent...

I rented The Lady and the Tramp for the boys at Blockbuster and told the boys the name of the movie. Trevor butchered the name right off, of course, but that's usual.

They watched it, and after the movie I asked Carson if they liked it. He nodded but had a confused look on his face so I asked what the matter was.

He said "It was good, but...I didn't see any shrimp." (which comes out shriamp, LOL)
"Shrimp? Why would there be shrimp in this movie??"
"Well, you said it was called "Lady and the Shramp", but I didn't see ANY fish."

Where'd these come from??

No humidity here, right? So how come my formerly straight-haired boy wakes up like this in the mornings? Especially if we don't comb his hair at night after bathtime. Funny!! It should be noted that Reed won't let me cut his hair.

The Grand What??

So after they get finished at an overlook yesterday, Reed and Carson head to the car before Trevor and I. Reed was really proud that we were able to take the kids to the Grand Canyon because he was really moved by it, and wanted to have a serious chat about it with Carson.

Reed: Carson, this was an important trip. I really want you to remember this, okay?
Carson: Okay.
Reed: So...what did we see today?
Carson: thinking....
Reed: The Grand....?
Carson: Opening!!!

Well...it IS an opening...sorta.

Grand Canyon

So, Reed had 2 1/2 days off this week, and we decided to take a little roadtrip. We went to the Grand Canyon! On the way, we stopped at the Deer Farm in Williams, AZ and it was really cute! Poor Trevor was petrified and wouldn't even enter, but he and I had a good time talking to the pretty parrots who talked back while Carson and Reed fed all the animals. Carson LOVED it.

Then another hour or two down the road and we got to pose for the requisite "We were here" picture:

And then just a short drive from the entrance we got to finally see it in all its glory. I really can't describe the feeling you get when looking out at the canyon, and these pictures, of course, do NOT do it justice. It's not just a hole in the ground, it's truly majestic. You feel small, the world feels awesome and magnificent, and it's hard to even comprehend how far down and across it is--it just goes on forever. It's very meditative and reflective, even though the first day we went it was swarmed with tourists. The boys loved it, and although my knees were shaking quite a bit (note to self: Learn how to get past fear of heights), the boys would literally bounce from rock to rock to ledge and lean way over, looking down. No wonder I was about to hyperventilate. I liked that they liked it, and were able to enjoy the views without being scared of it the way their mom was.

From one lookout to another:

Where I was most comfortable (a bench away from the ledges, lol):

I just love how precarious this looks balanced on top.

There was a village in this area with cabins, restaurants (fancy and otherwise) and shops. We saw Jeremy, Amy and Zach from Little People and they were filming what looked like a new show up there! Poor Reed was so mad because he's watched that show quite a few times and wanted to get a picture, but I wouldn't let him. The scenery changed just about every lookout. From lush green grasses below, to stark red earth to crazy cliffs. There's been a drought here recently, so the Colorado River was not visible but you could see where it usually runs. A rare picture of me by the railing. Note the white-knuckle grip. LOL And note the gap in the fence to the rock ledge...**shudder**
These huge California Condors were flying directly overhead, swooping low enough that you could see their huge claws...giving quite the show. We weren't quite quick enough with the camera to catch them down low, but it was pretty awesome regardless. They were very close to extinction but are now bouncing back nicely. Day Two, we took a more leisurely tour of some of the ones that were crowded the day before, sat on some boulders and chatted, and let the kids have a better look. Finally, a bit of "flying" over one of the 7 natural wonders of the world...

Yesterday part deux.

So after all the daytrippin' yesterday, we came home, got the kids to nap (blessed heaven!), I did some work and then...

he took me out to the ballgame. yep.

we went to see the D-backs play the Giants (woot! Barry Bonds!) and irritatingly, they walked Bonds. But it was still a good game, and the D-Backs won! Some really cute old ladies took a pic of us, quite possibly the cutest pic of us ever, albeit out of focus. We gorged on nachos with tons of disgusting crap on them and frozen yogurt. We had club box seats and VIP parking, and now Reed is spoiled and thinks that's the only way. We go again on Friday to see our team Boston play the D-backs, and it should be interesting to be the only two rooting for Boston in the whole stadium. Oh well. I'll wear an old t-shirt in case we get beers thrown at us! On Friday we'll be right behind home plate with the other player's families--got our tickets from a D-back! woot! so watch for us on tv. LOL I'll be the one waving hysterically and yelling "Hi Emily!!"

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.