New Shoes

The other night, Manu was running an errand that would take him by Target, so I asked him if he would take Zander with him and get him some new shoes. Manu took off one of the sandals he was wearing to see test how the shoe fit. Zander got very excited and started grunting and pointing at the other foot - obviously wanted Manu exchange his sandal for the other shoe. After Manu put the shoe on the other foot as well, Zander began to joyously kick his legs. Then he look down at his sandals picked them up and threw them out of the cart. I guess he preferred the new ones.

(When Manu pick up the sandals and put them in the back of the cart, Zander was not very happy about it and kept trying to reach back there to throw the out again. Maybe it was because we had subjected him to the fashion faux pas of socks with sandals.)

Aren't they Cute

Having left the step ladder out I discovered that both kids were interested enough in it that I could actually get some pictures of them together, rather than half of each of them as the are exiting the frame. Of course Zander happened to have his monkey back pack on, but that is sort of fitting anyway.

Snow is falling all around

When we left for Thanksgiving, it we 70's. The day after we got back it snowed - it is amazing the difference 4 days can make. These pictures are actually from a couple of days later when we had a second snow storm come through. I am not sure what is going on, but it has now officially snowed twice as much as it is supposed to out here.

PS - Looking at Teah's face in the bottom left picture - can I say Janae holding Juliet.

Thanksgiving

For thanksgiving we went to visit Manu's grandparents. Manu sister and as a surprise, Manu's mom came too. My camera was unfortunately still turning on, so I missed the original shock. later his mom's first cousin (who is like a brother) and wife showed up as a surprise as well. The kids had lots of fun with everyone and got spoiled.

Manu and I decided we were tired of being kicked at night by kids and they would sleep together rather than one with each of us. Awww.

Zander and his first love - he spent hours hugging, giving kisses to and doing the deacon shuffle with the singing bear. He even hugged the computer when he saw this picture.

Time out

Zander has now started joining Teah in timeout, volunterily. He figures if Teah is sitting against the wall, it must be the cool thing to do.

Mawwige is What Brings Us Together Today

The other day Teah was talking to me about getting married, and how when I got big I married Daddy, but when she grows up she isn't going to marry daddy, she is going to marry a lucky man. This was one of the many marriage conversations we have had with Teah (if you can't tell by her comment) and was continued later that day as she asked why I married daddy and why she was going to marry a lucky man. I explained that when she grew up she would not want to marry daddy, but she would pick some one she wanted marry and then she would live with them and have her own family. That was a mistake. It was apparently the first time she realized that she would not be living with mommy and daddy forever and she took it like I was trying to kick her out of the house. Needless to say, she was very upset with me, could not believe I would even suggest such a thing, and was not going to marry lucky man. I had to spend quite a bit of time consoling her and telling her we would never kick her out and that she could live with mommy and daddy as long as she wanted - which she would follow with, I will live with mommy and daddy forever. I then would say, if you want to (hope I don't come to regret that). Over and over again. So for all those who are wondering, Teah is going to marry daddy and live with mommy and daddy forever (much to Manu's dismay)- no doubts.

Zanders New Game

The other day I was reading a book with Teah on the couch while Zander was pushing around the computer chair. I did not think much about it until I heard him let out a war cry right behind me as he came flipping on to the couch next to me. And then the next 20 minutes or so, he and Teah continued couch flipping. It does not worry me so much that he thinks it is fun, but rather that at 17 months he came up with the set up for this new game ( and the war cry was a bit disconcerting as well). With a concussion and chipped tooth (separate incidents, both involving climing of course) already, I am concerned about the number of upcoming emergency room visits and do have to wonder if he will make it passed 2.

Teah's Pumpkins

This year for pumpkin decorating I cut out several sets of eyes, noses, mouths, ears, eyebrows and hair. Then Teah mixed and matched what she wanted to use for each pumkin and glued them on. The second one is missing a mouth because Zander took off with it and I hadn't located it yet. (PS, Zander definately rivals Teah at her peak of mess making - but now that there are two, I am often too busy to document it and there is so much it just a blur when I would have a moment. So poor Teah, Zander is just as destructive, but only she will have her deeds adequately documented as proof.) But back to the pumpkins - I would definitely recommend this method for parents with young kids - They can make it on their own with little help (and you can see, Teah decided the second pumpking needed eyebrow stripes by its nose), no mess and I was even able to use the pumpins to hold soup in for a baby shower I was hosting. (PSS the soup idea was something Janae had done, but I found several recipes for it online and tried two different soups that both were hits if anyone is ever interested).

Here are the links to the two soups

http://whirledsoup.blogspot.com/2007/10/argentinian-harvest-stew-in-pumpkin.html

For this one I used canola oil instead of coconut, what ever the standard mushrooms are that you buy in the store and regular salt.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art5460.asp

Daddies socks or Santa Boots

First thing in the Zander morning found a pair of Manu's socks and demanded I put them on. Teah thought that they looked like Santas boots. And since I was taking a picture of Zander, of course she needed one too.

Happy Halloween

Well we didn't take as many pictures as I intended, but you getthe point. So we were the charaters from super why - Teah was Princess Presto, Zander was Alpha Pig, I was Red and Manu was Wyatt.

Adventures of Z

Flour

Cereal

Chair Diving (notice the bump)

Sprinkler Playing

As Teah had decreased in her tendency to get into things, I think Zander is trying to pick up the slack.

More Comentary From Teah

The other night when we were putting Teah to bed she said, "How come mommy has three kids?"

Manu and I look at eachother and say, "Mommy only has two kids." Teah gives us the you're wrong look, points to herself and says, "one," Zander, "two," and finally Manu, "three." I of course start laughing really hard, Manu not so much. Then Manu explains to Teah that he is not a kid and Teah of course disagrees and says he is. So then I asked Teah, "What is a kid?" She thinks for a moment and seems a bit stumped so I suggest, "Is a kid someone mommy has to take care of and make dinner for?" "No," she says then after another moment says, "A kid plays with toys and makes messes." So there you have it, I guess have 3 toy playing, mess making people - aka kids. (Although I would have to say her definition of a kid is pretty good for a 3 year old).



Another day I was reading The Little Engine that Could to Teah. When we got to the part where the little blue engine decides to help . . .

Teah: How come she is nice and helps them.

Me: I don't know, why do you think she is nice and helps them."

Teah: Pause, then grin, "Because she is a girl!"

Once again Manu did not find this one as funny as I did.

Some Recent Teah comments

The other day, we were putting Teah to bed. Manu gave Teah a hug and a kiss and left the room as Teah went on about not being tired. Then I gave her a kiss and hug and turned to leave. Teah suddenly sprung up out of bed and while dashing for the door said, "I'm sorry, but I have to get out of here."

The next day she openned the dishwasher and retrieved a cup then openned the fridge got out the the mostly empty milk and said, "I'm sure about this." She was apparently answering my what are you doing and are you sure you can pour the milk by yourself questions before I had a chance to ask them.

Finally, the other day Teah was watching a blues clues video and at the end Steve sings a song with the line - you sure are smart. Teah looks at me and said, "I don't want to be smart." So I ask her what she wanted to be and she said, "Good." I told her that was a good thing to be, but she could be both smart and good if she wanted. She returned with, "I don't want to be smart. I just want to be good. Zander can have smart." So she is apperantly willing to share traits - if we could only get her to share toys.

Zander favorite song / music video. Zander LOVES this video - if we start singing the song, he will go over to the computer and point till I turn it on. He will even do the "Ah Ah" part. If we are playing other music from the computer, he will yell at the computer until a turn it on. Apparently he is mad at the computer for playing the wrong song. (Although, he is alright if we have other veggie tale songs going).



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5uujMb_hbo

Independent Streak

Zander after demanding to hold his own smoothy cup.

A trip to Utah

We recently got back from a trip to Utah (okay it has been close to a month). I was waiting to blog to see if I could get some more pictures of the trip from Janae before I did, but since I have not even gotten around to asking her yet, I figure I should probably just get it up. My dad came out as well and we did lots of fun things. I even had some great plans of visiting various people out there, but we were so busy that it never happenned. The collage catelogs several of the activities we did, including seven peaks, the dinosaur museum, temple open house and hiking to timpanogas caves. The kids had a ball, although between Zander and Benjamin you could swear there was a baby whining all the time. As for Teah, she was usually off playing with Ruby, so I did not see her much. After we got home, it definately took a day or two for her to adjust to not having a constant playmate.

Camp chairs

Recently the kids got camp chairs - Teah picked pink and green and Zander got a blue and green. When we got home however, we discovered that Zander's chair had a cup holder and Teah's did not. So back to the store we went only to find, the only other chair that had cup holders was a last blue and green one like Zander's. Since Teah wanted a pink one and one with cup holders, this cause quite a dilemma. Finally I convinced here she could get a green and blue one, but put pink decorations on it. So that is what she did. I think she did a pretty good job - and we won't have to worry about arguments over whose chair is whose.

Blue and Yellow make Green

Teah after a recent painting session. Apparently she ran out of space on the paper, so she had to find a new canvas.

Uncle Rufus (you make the call - click on the picture of Teah to read her shirt)

Zoo and Splash park

Here are a couple of recent photos from the zoo and a splash park on post. There is another splash park on post that has a little pool that is about a foot deep with some small slides and other squirting things. We are lucky to have access to them, especially in the horrid heat we have right now.