WW: Awkward Family Photo {Linky}

There's a perfectly good explanation as to why Daddy looks absolutely ridiculous.

Mica had to get t-shirts for his jujitsu class to fit under his uniform. I got him some.  

Mica opened the package and said, "Mom these will never fit me!" I said, "Mica they are small and made to stretch. I know they will fit you, they are a size 7-8." He put it on. Mica said, "WOW Mom you are right. It did stretch."

Off he went into our bedroom to talk to Daddy. I heard Mica say, "Daddy this t-shirt fit me. It stretches! You can wear one to!" Daddy said, "Mica it won't fit me! It's a kid size!" Mica said, "No really Dad it stretches. You have to try it!" So he did...

Ready for it?

I had a hard time keeping the camera still I was laughing so hard! I did get a good shot though.


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Wig

We closed tonight for the refinance of our home loan. I've been wanting to do that for awhile.

Instead of going into an office to sign tons of papers, a guy came to our house.

The boys were wound because someone new was in the house that they didn't know. Mica was trying to buzz his Lego invention around and Isaak was just standing there humming a tune. Daddy and I both sent them off to their rooms to play. Later on Isaak comes out to sit next to me. He was being good, so I didn't mind. Then Mica plops down on the other side of me. I knew we might have to send them into their rooms once again. When both boys are together it's wrestle time and fight for Mommy's attention time.

Mica started pulling on my hair and said, "Why won't this wig come off?" He said it a few times. I was wondering, What is that guy thinking? I didn't have a wig on! I've only wore wigs for Halloween. My hair doesn't even look like a wig. I pushed Mica off and said, "Come on stop that. It hurts. I don't have a wig!"

Mica's humor is a lot like mine. It's kind of funny, kind of not. We're both very random in our thoughts.

Isaak's Self Portrait

Isaak started drawing this last night on the chalkboard:

We thought it was pretty good. Remember he's only 4.

Our Busy/Fun Weekend

We had four adults and 1 child stay with us this weekend. Then on Saturday evening and night we had about 20 adults and 8 kids over (including us). Then cousins Evan and Elijah spent the night Saturday night along with our other company. I was so busy hosting, I didn't get enough pictures.

It started with cleaning, lots of cleaning before everyone came and after everyone left. This is what it's like when I clean:

That is my bed that I was trying to make. What are those two lumps? Mica and Isaak of course! I sort of did what most people do in the spring. I spring cleaned in the summer. At the party you would have never guessed I cleaned at all with the toys, people, food, you get the picture. Isaak and Mica make it hard for me to clean. I cleaned the coffee table about 6 times last week. Isaak's back into Play-Doh. It gets all over the place. Mica's into Legos and they get all over the house as well.

Daddy had our party planned way in advance. He wanted to have people over instead of get presents for his birthday this year. A few college friends have been wanting to come up to see us since the spring. Last year they couldn't come up because of the floods. A party was planned.

The boys were sort of double booked on Saturday. I didn't really mean for that to happen. A week and a half ago swimming lessons were over. We had to sign up for new ones and all they had available was a Saturday class starting on this last Saturday. I know it takes Isaak at least one lesson to warm up to a new coach. We decided Daddy would hang out with the company, while I took the boys to swimming lessons. Sure enough Isaak cried for, "Mommy!" the whole time! I was so annoyed with that! His old coach even stood there with him. I don't know why in the heck he was being so moody! After lessons I had a serious talk with him. With some kids it works to just give them time. With Isaak I just had to say, "Listen kid you need to stop crying and calling for me! Your coach is nice. I'm right there in the room. Listen to your coach and participate in your swimming lessons." He seemed to understand. Mica on the other hand was perfectly fine.

Then Mica was invited to a birthday party from 2-5. The child, Niko that was staying with us had no one to play with when he got back. Isaak had fallen asleep for a nap.

Daddy set up the Slip N Slides, and grilled. I cut up veggies and got all the stuff out for the party. We had a lot of food: Watermelon, another fruit tray, raw veggies, chips galore, dip, potato salad, a quinoa couscous salad, baked beans, burgers, brats, chocolate cherry chip cookies, zucchini brownies, root beer, beer, water, wine, lemonade and more I'm sure.

My friend Mark brought us lovely flowers and one of Daddy's artist friends brought him a pen she made out of wood. 

Our old Slip N Slide that we've had for 2 years is toast. It most certainly got played with though! They slipped on it anyhow and we added 2 more. 

We had wonderful conversation. I just felt torn between the inside of the house and the outside. Some of the outside people didn't know anyone else. Plus I was taking care of dishes, getting more of this or that mainly for the kids.

When people started to leave Daddy set up two tents in our backyard for our boys and cousin's Evan and Elijah to sleep in. They were excited! I opted to sleep indoors.

On Sunday the boys wrestled pillow in the tummy style:

Our company got attacked to! When Mica first saw Mark he said, "Hey that's the guy that likes to wrestle with me!" Then Mica laid down and said, "Niko can you rub my head?" Niko did happily. Silly kids!

I gave our guests many boxes of baby clothes! Niko will have a baby brother at the end of August, early September! I'm so glad to have some of my basement back!

They took us out for a lovely lunch. Mica scarfed down his food and 1/2 of Isaak's!

Then we went to the Lowes Clinic. I signed our guest Niko up for it. He had never been there. They made stacking Kung Fu Panda toys.

The boys with one of the stacking friends.

That was our weekend. Lots to do, but also fun.

Our company left. We went home, I ironed on their new patches from the Lowes Clinic, we cleaned, went to recycle glass and the boys took a nap from 4-6. I tried waking them up at 5:15, and they rolled back over to sleep longer. They were bushed!

Sing, Sing a Song Saturday

I started doing what I call Sing, Sing a Song Saturday.  I'm going to post one song on Saturdays that the boys or I like. 

The song may be part of a movie, a kid's video or just a song we like. It may or may not include words. I'll try and include why we like it and/or the history of the song/singer.

I'm typing this up early (Thursday), and will schedule to post it for Saturday. This weekend we're having a lot of company over. Well a lot for us, considering we hardly have company over. Friends of ours from KC are coming. We've been cleaning. It's hard because I feel like with kids you can't clean too early. They get it dirty again. Just look at Isaak's spot where he eats a few days after we clean. It's as if we didn't clean at all. I've hit all the areas people can't see that needed it badly. Like the ceiling fan, top of the shelves, drapes in our room, under the couch cushions, behind the corner TV stand, top of the picture frames and the top of the crown molding (that was some work!) The next few nights is more cleaning! This time it's the stuff people can see. It won't be perfect. After they leave I'll have to clean again.

While we clean I sometimes listen to Rusted Root. Send Me On My Way is one of my favorite songs by them.

It's upbeat and fun. It just makes me happier to clean.

What is Rusted Root up to? They are getting ready to sail aboard the Norwegian Pearl, a full service cruise ship, on a 5-day journey to Great Stirrup Cay, their own private island. There will be non-stop music at sea all the way there and back, and they’ll even have their own 2-day private beach party on the island, complete with more music! Their lives are full of tours.

Do you listen to music, while you clean? What do you listen to?

Digging Potatoes

Last year we dug up buckets full of potatoes. This year, not so much.

Isaak was Daddy's helper. Mica walked off the job. How is it that the 4 year old is a better helper in the kitchen and outside than the 7 year old? We've been getting on Mica for not completing his tasks.

The potato pass off from Daddy to Isaak.

"Look what I got Mom!" Two very small potatoes.

He figured out that he could dig some up to.

Isaak observing a potato he dug up. He held one up and said, "I'm the Statue of Liberty."

 Just some potatoes.

This is all we got. :(

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WW: Splash {Linky}

This last weekend I took the boys to a water pad. They loved it!

Mica's in the blue trunks and Isaak's in the crab ones.

This photo cracks me up! I think many little boys have tried this!

Mica kept screaming when he went through this. I have no clue why. I'm just glad we were the only ones there.

Of course water has to be Karate chopped and kicked.

We went to a water splash park on our vacation to Chicago as well.

They got to release some energy!

 The walls they were running under had faces that kept changing. It was super cool to watch!

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I have a sweet giveaway for one winner to win a The Warrior Poet Clothier - T Shirt Giveaway Ends 8/2 Their T-Shirts really bring out the creativity in boys!

Tragedy Strikes

This weekend was an interesting one indeed.

My mom (Grandma Spiehs) had surgery on her toes. She's doing good. On Saturday I took them Chicken and Dumplings, green beans and fruit. On Sunday my older sister (Aunt Angela) took them a meal. She's hobbling around in a boot. Wires hang out of her toes. I didn't get to see them. I only saw them in the x-ray. The wires will get removed. One pin stays.

My younger sister (Aunt Terra) took her family to a Trisomy 18 conference. She had the chance to meet other families with kids that suffer from Trisomy 13 and 18. She said it was sad, informative, fun to see families from all over. One family came from Sweden, one from Canada and a lot from the US. She talked a lot with a lady that is also an RN and has a daughter the same age as Emerson.

I was in the lobby at a Honda shop waiting for our Pilot's recall to be fixed on Friday morning. I was hoping they would get done while we went out to breakfast; no such luck. The low beam lights could go out at any time. All the sudden I hear on the TV about the shooting in Aura, Colorado. I knew that because they were talking about Batman Mica's ears would perk up. I put them on the empty computer to play on the the PBS website. I have no problem talking to the boys about tragedy. If at all possible I'd like to wait until they are in upper elementary to explain that stuff to them. How do you feel about that? Any advice? I think if something happens here or within our family it's unavoidable; I have to talk to them. It's important to communicate as a family. I just don't want to push that violence is a reality to them so soon.

At home on Saturday morning I got a call from the local police department. A 10 year old boy was missing that lived a few blocks away. It was just a recording describing this kid and what he was wearing. It was just telling us this information because they wanted everyone in the area to look out for him. I listened, hung up the phone, got the food in the car to take it to my parents, made sure Isaak was buckled up and started crying. Mica said, "What's wrong Mommy?" I broke my rule of not talking to them about tragedy's to illustrate a point. I said, "Well Mica that phone call was the police department. A little boy that's only 10 years old is missing. You know how I tell you not to run ahead in stores and at the park?" He said, "Yes." I said, "Well this is the reason why. This little boy is missing. I don't know if he ran away, or was kidnapped. What I do know is I thought about you and how you run ahead. Someone could just take you. I could never see you again. Do you understand what I'm saying?" He said, "Yes." I never did hear if they found him, or not. I don't see anything about this 10 year old on the internet. I can only imagine that he was in fact found. It's such a good thing that a call went out to everyone in the area!

Princess Birthday Party

Mica's invited to his first friend birthday party. Of course it has to be when we have company coming over. That's ok. It's only a few houses down.

The little girl's birthday invitations looked something like this:

Source

Not the same, but similar.

Mica was all excited to get this in the mail. He went on and on as to what to get this girl. I remembered I won a pink umbrella awhile back just for this purpose; to give to a little girl who invited Mica to a party. I told Mica and he said, "Well maybe we should get her a princess since it's a princess party." I said, "There is a princes on the umbrella." He was satisfied.

Then he said, "Mom since it's a princess party, I should probably find a way to dress like a prince!" I said, "Mica it says right on the invite to bring your swimming suit. I really doubt people are going to go dressed up like princes and princesses." He said, "Ya but I really want to look nice for her party."

I told him to call to RSVP. He did. The conversation went like this, "Well hello! My name is Mica Apel and I'm calling to tell Bailey I'm coming to her princess party." The person that answered must not of lived there. He handed the phone off to Bailey. Mica had to repeat his verbiage. Bailey said, "It's not really a princess party Mica." I think Mica was a little sad about that.

Then we went to Target and he spent 10 minutes looking at cards trying to find the perfect princess card for his friend.

A Pink Ruler Slap Bracelet

The boys and I went to Target. I was looking for tea towels. For some reason they don't sell them anymore. They work the best!

We checked out Slip N' Slides and got two. Everywhere else they are sold out. One of them was on clearance. Daddy got a hose splitter, so the two Slip N' Slides can be used at once.

We also got a card for one of Mica's friend's birthday parties. It's funny, he spent 10 or more minutes reading the cards just to pick out the right one. It had to have princesses on it because that is what his invite had on it.

We went back to look at backpacks. With all the school stuff were slap bracelets. 

Like these:

Source

The boys fought over a pink ruler slap on bracelet. I said, "Gee wiz I'm not getting that!" I didn't want to get them anything like that because Mica has a new habit of trying to sneak stuff in the cart when I tell him to put it back on the shelf. Plus I could see it being one of those toys that they play with for a day and then it sits.

This older gentleman that was probably 60 years old started laughing behind us. I looked over at him and he said, "I'm sorry! It's just that I was playing with that just before you guys walked over here."

It was funny enough that 2 little boys were playing with the pink ruler slap bracelet, then when I heard that the older man was as well I just couldn't stop laughing about it.