Mammals...

Last night I was reading a book about bats to the boys. Within one of the first pages, the book shared that bats are mammals and before I could finish reading what mammals are, Gabriel interrupted me. 
"Mom, I know what mammals are.  We learned about them in school!"
A little surprised but excited to hear what he interpreted the word to mean, I asked, "Gabriel what is a mammal?"
He continued, "Mom, mammals are things that have hair on their body, and the mamas feed their baby milk.  People are mammals"
"Well Gabriel that is pretty good, you are correct."
Just as we were in the middle of our conversation about what mammals are, Dad just happened to return home from work.  As he walked into the living room, Gabriel noticed his presence.
"Mom", Gabriel said, "I know people are mammals but I don't know if Dad is. Mom, dad doesn't have any hair on his head.  Mom, he is a mammal?"
Unable to contain my laughter, I rose from the couch to get a Kleenex to wipe my tears and said, "Dad, Mammal, what ever you are... I'll let you answer this one."

Until next time,
Angie

Smile Please!

A few weeks ago, actually now almost a month ago, we got together with Jarrett's family to celebrate his birthday.  After going out for lunch we tried to get a picture of the kids.  Although the kids are 7, almost 6, 5, 4 and 3, you'd think with three photographers, continuous clicking of the camera, and requests for everyone to smile on the count of three, we'd get a good shot.  Unfortunately, here's a quick summary of how our impromptu photo shoot went...

There's one thing for sure..

each child has their very own...

distinct personality. 

But we wouldn't want...

them any other way.

Oh and by the way, after this picture, we gave up and let them go back to playing.

Until next time,
Angie

Sedona...

A few weeks ago Jarrett and I took the boys to Sedona for a quick day trip.  It was amazing and although the pictures don't do the scenery justice, I think they were able to capture the fun we had...   While Jarrett and I stood in awe of the array of colors in each rock formation, they boys enjoyed picking up sticks, using their "outside voices" (aka screaming) and playing in the sand. 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this picture!

After a couple of individual pictures with the gorgeous backgrounds...



they decided it was time...

to fight over who got to look out the view finder first.

And then Michael decided he'd just go on a hike of his own over the side of the cliff... okay not really, but it totally looked like he was going to go right over the edge...

and after pausing for a minute to take in the view...

it was time to go for a climb up a small mountain.

and when we got to the top, the boys decided to be boys and scream from the top of their lungs.  Until we soon learned we had unknowingly climbed to the top of some mountain that is suppose to be a vortex where everyone is silent.  Hence the many old people sitting in strange yoga positions and meditating...

so we quickly grabbed a family photo from a person who had just finished doing what ever you do at the top of a vortex mountain.  Then we snapped a few more pictures and quickly climbed back down the mountain...

Doesn't this look like a postcard?

On our way back down the mountain Gabriel spotted the spiky creature on the side of the cliff and said "Mom, that looks like a prehistoric baby dinosaur"... turns out it was only an old dead tree but after taking a picture of it, I can totally see what he was taking about.

After crashing "meditation mountain", we decided to take the boys on a hike, which they were very excited.  Of the hundreds of trails in Sedona that one could go on, we just happened to pick...

Yes, that is correct... Deadman's Pass.  With no cellular service and limited supplies, we trusted our expert guide (aka Dad) and headed into the desert/trail/terrain  for a 3.6 mile hike. 

Turns out the trail is amazing.  This is just one of the views less than 100 yards into the hike.  And that was only the beginning...

The scenery is breathtaking.

And while the boys played silly boy games, Jarrett and I were reminded of just how beautiful Mother Earth is.

Again the boys screaming from the top of their lungs...this time not another soul was around so we let them do all the screaming they wanted.  My hope was that it would also keep any rattle snakes, coyotes, or other wildlife in the area away.

And it wasn't just the rocks that were beautiful, the flowers were out also.  Michael and Gabriel's favorite part though was the crushed red rock that had turned into the finest, softest sand in all of Arizona.

They decided to take home a souvenir, a water bottle filled with red sand.

so they worked and they worked to fill the bottle with the purest sand they could find.

and although Michael took home more sand in his socks and shoes than he did in his bottle, they had a blast.

What a wonderful trip. These are the memories that make a life meaningful.

Until next time,
Angie

School Picture Day...

Today is school picture day and guess who forgot to take a picture of the boys before they left for school.  The honest truth is, I don't have too much faith that the boys will remain looking in the same condition I sent them to school, even 5 minutes after I drop them off.  So, usually if I want a picture of them when they look, and I quote Michael, "Handsome", I take a picture immediately after getting them dressed and combing their hair.  Today, I forgot.

Anyway as I dropped the boys off one by one at school, there were several comments made about how nice they looked. As we arrived at Gabriel's school after dropping Michael off, the crossing guard looked at Gabriel and said, "Wow, Gabriel you look really sharp today!"  He said thank you and we continued on toward the playground.

Just a few steps later Gabriel looked at me and said, "Mom, how come some people keep saying I look like a scissors?"
"Huh?" I responded. "What do you mean?"
"Yes Mom, they keep saying I look like a scissors.  Why do they say that?"
"Honey, no one said you look like a scissors."
"Yes Mom, they do! Dad said I look sharp and now Mr. Shawly said I it too."
It was then that I realized his meaning of sharp was very different than theirs...

So, in addition to School Picture Day, Gabriel went to school knowing the meaning of yet another word.

Until next time (and I promise it won't be as long in between),
Angie

Gabriel' and Michael' isms part 4...

The time has come again for some Gabriel/Michael isms....

Can you figure out what they mean....

Intercot
Kabooze
All of a Sutten
Make a friend
Cursive Moon
Dribbling

Did you get them?  Some of these are easier than others...

Intercot.... as in.... Mom, they called the front office on the intercot (intercom)
Kabooze... as in... Look at my Kabooze (kazoo) make noice
All of a Sutten.... as in... All of a sutten (sudden) the kids screamed
Make a friend... as in...I threw the basketball and I made a friend (basket)
Cursive Moon... as in.. Mom, Look at the Cursive (crescent) moon
Dribbling... as in... Mom, I dribbled (drooled) all over my pillow.

Until next time,
Angie

Car conversations...

I tell you some of the best conversations I have with the kids is when we are driving in the car.

Just earlier this week the entire family headed to the last regular season game of the Arizona Diamondbacks.  As we were headed downtown Jarrett and I were talking about something and as we finished Gabriel said, "Mom, can I ask you something?"  "Sure honey" He replied, "Mom, when I get bigger will you help me find the girls who are not married yet so I can marry one of them?"  "Mom, cause I don't know if they are married or not, I need your help."  Looking at Jarrett and with a huge smile on my face, I replied, "Absolutely honey, I would be happy to help you find a good girl. I just hope you feel the same way in another 15 years."  "I promise Mom, I will" 

And then there's Michael, who is our little (but huge) Justin Beiber (or as he calls him Beavers) fan.  On Tuesday while Gabriel was at school, Michael and I were running errands and he asked if I could turn on Justin Beavers.  I obliged and we started singing away.  A few minutes later I looked back to see that he had stopped singing and was staring out the window.  I could tell he was in a deep thought but didn't say anything.  A few minutes later he said, "Mom turn the music off now."  I did and he said... "Mom, I want to change my name to Justin Beavers."  Laughing to myself I said, "Really Michael, now why would you want to do that."  "Because you and a lot of pretty girls like Justin Beavers"  "But honey I really like your name, I like it a lot lot lot lot lot more than Justin's."  "Really Mom?"  "Yes, Michael William Haskovec, I love your name."  "Okay then Mom, can I just change it to Michael William Justin Beavers Haskovec?"

Until next time,
Angie

We've become regulars...

How do you know when you've become a regular at the dentist office?
When you no longer have to "sign in" because they already have your file pulled and ready for the next records to be added to it.

and

Everyone at the office (no matter what day of the week you go) knows not only your son by his first name but has taken the time to learn your real name (other than Gabriel's mom).

and

They start calling the patients chair "Gabriel's Special chair"

That's when you know.  Today when we went to the dentist yet again, all of those observations happened.

Gabriel was back to have yet another procedure or should I say retainer/spacer implanted in his mouth.  Getting tired of trading one "golden" tooth for another "golden" item, it would be fair to say he was not too happy as we left the office. 

Oh and since we were there, they asked us if we just wanted to have Michael's teeth cleaned as well, so we didn't have to make yet another visit back.  I immediately said "YES please"  After getting a glowing report of no cavities and beautiful white teeth, Michael proudly showed Gabriel his pearly whites.

It wasn't until we got into the car that Gabriel revealed his true thoughts about what he had just experienced.  Sitting quietly in the back seat, I looked in the rear view mirror and noticed his head tilted to the side and that he was resting it on the window.  I asked him if he was tired and he quietly replied, "No mom"  I then asked him what he was thinking and he said, "Mom, I'm thinking about the dentist"   "Oh really honey, what are you thinking about?"  He said, "Mom, how come Michael has good white teeth and I have pirate teeth?" Immediately Michael started laughing and I admit I started to chuckle myself but when I looked up in the mirror I could tell, it was not a laughing matter.

Gabriel continued, "Mom why do I not have nice white teeth and how come I have gold teeth?"  It was then that I decided to tell him the truth.  I started in... Gabriel when you were little, the people who you stayed with allowed you to have lots of soda and juice and they didn't help you take care of your baby teeth as good as you needed.  For those reasons honey, you got cavities and that is why you have gold teeth.  Honey, but we're fixing them and someday soon you will have beautiful white teeth also.  I promise.  I know it isn't fun now to have to go to the dentist all the time but if we take care of your teeth now, that will help your adult teeth be perfect. 

He paused for a few minutes I guess just thinking about what I had told him and then he said, "Mom, I know why you don't tell us have juice or very much candy."  Why Gabriel?  "Mom, you're helping us to have good teeth right?"  You're absolutely right Gabriel.  Sound okay to you?  "Yes Mom"

And just like that he was happy and back to his bubbly self and I was happy that we could put that conversation topic to bed.  Or so I thought, because moments later Michael chimed in, "Gabriel, you should be a pirate for Halloween, you already have the teeth"

until next time,
angie

A great debate...

Gabriel and I have recently been in a great debate.  See his birthday is coming up and we've been talking about what he wants to do for his birthday. You'd think we'd be debating about his birthday party and the never-ending list of "items" he has on his wish list.  Instead, surprisingly enough we've been debating about the date of his actual birthday.

See Gabriel's birthday is November 5th but not if you ask him.  I give you an example of the conversation we had today in the car...

Michael:  Mom, my birthday is coming up before Gabriel's right?
Mom:  No Michael your birthday isn't for a long time.  Gabriel's birthday is coming up.
Mom:  Gabriel, when again is your birthday?
Gabriel: Remember the 5th
Mom:  What did you say Gabriel?
Gabriel:  Mom, you can't hear very good, I said remember the 5th.
Mom:  I'm sorry Gabriel but that is not correct.
Gabriel (with a serious tone):  Mom, it is too correct, I know, it is my birthday remember?
Mom:  See, you just said it, rremember is not a month.  Remember is something you do when you try to recall something.
Gabriel:  Mom, what does recall mean?  And Mom, I KNOW my birthday is Remember the 5th.  You told me last year to remember the 5th.
Mom (trying a different approach):  Gabriel what month comes after October?
Gabriel: November
Mom:  That's right Gabriel, November.  What month is your birthday in again?
Gabriel (this time frustrated that we've already covered this question):  Mom, I told you REMEMBER the 5th.
Mom (giving up):  Gabriel, please trust me when I say there is no month called "remember", your birthday is NOVEMBER and the only reason why I said remember is because I wanted you to be able to remember your birthday as November the 5th.  Okay honey?
Gabriel: Mom, how about this...you can say my birthday is November the 5th and I'll say my birthday is Remember the 5th. 
and then finally he mumbled under his breath to Michael...
Gabriel:  Michael my birthday really is Remember the 5th.  Mom doesn't remember.

until next time,
angie

In case you didn't know...

It's October and that means Halloween is coming....

you've been warned....
Signed Red Ninja and PJ Pirate