Life with boys!

We were on our way to take Cohen to his game tonight. Evan and Cooper love this because it's the only time I let them eat lots of junk and play in the dirt. I KNOW!!!! Totally unlike me, but.......it's the only way I can watch Cohen play. We were turning in the park and Evan points to the sign and says, "there it is mommy, I see it. Right there!" I said, "I know baby. I see it. I know you love the ballpark!" He replies, "no, mommy, my booger! It's right there on my finger!"

Sound familiar? Yes, I posted about a booger incident with Cooper not too long ago! Seems we always talk about boogers around here!

Cooper pooped in his pants today. I asked him if he went stinky. He said, "yes, I went stinky and you're gonna eat it!" Seriously?

Please tell me this is just normal boys stuff?

We're still here...

I know! It's been almost 2 months since my last post. 2 months! I have no real excuse except that I am addicted to Pinterest and Words With Friends. Every time I get on the computer I play on those two things and by the time I realize it...it's time for bed. I promise I will start doing better....well, maybe!

Anyway, things have been going full speed ahead as usual around here. The boys are doing great!

We signed Evan up for Pre-K for next year which I can not believe! Seriously, where has 4 years gone? :( He is really a joy to be around lately. He has the biggest heart and is so passionate about everything. He LOVES his big brother and does everything he can to be like Cohen. He likes to play video games like his Bubba and is becoming addicted to our iPhone! We have purchased several games for him (educational ones of course) and he is doing so well with them. He finally settled down and learned his shapes and colors and is now interested in letters, numbers and words! YAY! He is one smart booger! One tiny booger that is......so tiny! He barely eats enough for a flea and is just so petite. Cooper is actually beginning to pass him in size! He does have a BIG belly though and loves to play Pop the Pig----he pushes out his belly and has someone poke it and say "POP"!

See.....

Cohen is still excelling in school. Everything just comes so easy and natural for him. He just needs one lesson on it and he's got it. He reads like nobody's business and remembers everything! It really blows my mind and I see and hear kids read all day! We just finished up basketball and will start baseball practice this weekend. We are on the Indians this year and I am so excited about it. It is an amazing group of Christian people who really give back to the community and I can't wait to be part of it!

Cooper.....Well, Cooper is now TWO! Everything he says and does screams "TWO YEAR OLD HERE". I asked him the other day, "where is my sweet boy" and he pointed across the room to Evan. I said "are you my sweet Coop?" He said, "no, I two!" Yep, he's got that right. What a little spit fire he as become. He will just look at you and do what he knows is wrong! You know like that kid who holds his finger 1 millimeter from the object and says "I'm not touching it" just to annoy you? That's Cooper right now! I know my sweet, sweet boy is still in there, he's just covered up with a two year old right now! He does slip up sometimes and enthrall us with his super sweetness. He has such and imagination and we love to watch him play. He cooks, cuts hair, grills, and plays "baby". And man can he clean. He is the best cleaner ever. And he doesn't stop. He will clean all day. He loves to vacuum, dust, and wipe the floors. Before you ask....yes, I let him. I let him clean as much as he wants!

So that's what we are up to right now!

I promise...I'll be back before 2 more months!

Merry Christmas--2011

What a WONDERFUL Christmas this has been! First of all, the boys have really been embracing the REAL meaning of Christmas. They are all totally in love with the baby Jesus from our nativity. They all treat Him so sweetly! They sing to Him, rock Him, give Him bottles, and make sure no harm is done to Him. It is VERY sweet. I hope and pray that they grow to love the Lord in the same way as adults!

One of our favorite activites this year has been dancing and singing to Christmas music. Evan absolutely loves it. LOVES. IT! He sneaks and turns on the stereo all throughout the day. Cooper loves to sing and dance too. He has even made up a song--"Baby Jesus, We love you!" It is so sweet. He walks around rocking baby Jesus and singing that song! Oh how I LOVE me some sweet, sweet Cooper! (Well, the two's have taken him over, but that will be a post for another day!)

On Christmas Eve, we waited patiently for Jeremy to get home from work. We wanted him to help us make cookies. As soon as he walked in we began making cookies. The cookies were the best ever! They were messy of course, but they looked really good! After they cooled we put icing on them and added sprinkles. LOTS OF SPRINKLES! 4 whole bottles to be exact!

The boys requested nuggets for Christmas Eve dinner--of course! So I found a recipe on my new favorite website.....you know it by now, PINTEREST! These nuggets are the "secret Chick-fil-A recipe". They were actually pretty good and the boys ate and ate and ate!

After dinner they each had a cookie of course! WITH. SPRINKLES.

And then it was time to track Santa and see about what time he would arrive. He would be in Atlanta at 11:01 according to the news. They boys were SCREAMING with excitement and were ready to head to bed!

All this talk of Santa caused various emotions in our house. Cooper was VERY confused. He wanted to SEE him. He kept looking out the door asking "when Santa comin'? I want to hug him. I not be shy. I not cry." He thought Santa was coming to see him and didn't understand that it was AFTER he went to sleep that he would come. He stood by the door and looked out the window for a while until we had to drag him to bed. Then he cried himself to sleep because he wanted to see Santa. It was REALLY sad and I hated that he didn't understand.

Evan on the other hand was FREAKED out that a man was coming to the house after he went to sleep. He kept asking "Is that man gonna get me? I don't want him to come in my room. Let me look outside and see if he's coming."

Here are the littles looking out the door. Evan not wanting Santa to come near the house. Cooper looking to see if he can see Santa so he can hug and kiss him!

It took awhile to explain what would happen when Santa came......we wouldn't see him and he wouldn't stay long.....just drop of the toys and head out!

Then it was time for Christmas Eve traditions....the boys put on the new pj's Bainbridge left us on his last day, read The Night Before Christmas, put out Santa's cookies and the reindeer treats, and said good-bye to Bainbridge.

Saying good-bye was harder than I thought. Cooper cried and cried to hold him and hug him. Evan didn't want Christmas to end because Bainbridge would go away. He said Santa was naughty for taking him away! LOL! They do love Bainbridge!

Looking for Santa tracks in the sky....

Cohen leaving out the reindeer food.....

Finally, everyone was asleep (Cohen sleeps in our room on Christmas Eve because he can not be trusted to stay away from the toys in the morning!)

Then the fun could begin! Santa unloaded the sleigh! Boy have they been good! Toys EVERYWHERE! It looks like the best Christmas yet........

........then came Christmas morning.

Cooper and Evan's gifts....

Castle and house to build and color! We're saving this for a rainy day activity!

Cohen's gifts from Santa.

Evan and Coop checking out all the surprises!

Yay! A baby stroller! Yes, I know Cooper is a boy, but he is the BEST little daddy ever and takes such good care of his babies. (Wonder where he learns that from? Yes, JEREMY!!!! ) He wanted a baby stroller (or buggy as he calls it) so Santa came through and brought him one! Complete with a new baby and a bottle that has disappearing milk!

Cooper checking out his stash!

Cohen spots the big surprise gift......

a new flat screen TV!

Reading the letter from Santa and Bainbridge! Santa loved the sprinkles...er, I mean cookies! He left a note saying how good they were. The cookies. Not the sprinkles.

Cooper eating the left over candy cane that Santa didn't eat!

Battleship!

All the boys LOVE candy.....the stockings were full of it!

A bottle for the new baby!

Toy Story Wii game and DS "tool kit"!

More candy...tic tacs!

And of course, the all time favorite.....chapstick!

I think this was the BEST Christmas ever! Merry Christmas! I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for our sweet, little family!

Homemade detergents......

Today's adventure consisted of making homemade laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent. The boys and I had fun. (Well, actually I did most of the work because I wasn't sure how messy they would be and I didn't want them to eat any of the ingredients!) They watched and stirred.....a little!

I got this "recipe" from my new favorite addiction....Pinterest! Check it out if you haven't----pinterest.com

I have a front loading HE washing machine. I am not sure about putting powder detergent in the soap dispenser so I just sprinkled some on the clothes inside the drum before I started it. Make sense?

Our fairly new dishwasher is "top of the line" according to the man at Lowe's, but it STINKS! Literally! It stinks and it doesn't wash the dishes worth a dang! So I am VERY hopeful that these "old school" ingredients will help! Otherwise, we will have to get a new one! Yes, I HATE hand washing dishes that bad. THAT. BAD.

Sorry, back to the "recipe"
You will need: (this will be enough to make both detergents)--I got all this at Publix for about $20

1 4 lb.box of Mule Borax
1 4 lb. box of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda
1 4 lb. box of Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
2 bars of Fels-Naptha soap--grate up 1 and 1/2 bars with cheese grater
1 3lb container of Oxy Clean--this is optional but my boys are messy
1 bag of Epsom salt
12 packs of Lemon-ade Koolaid----unsweetened packs
1 container Lemi Shine Rinse Aide

For laundry:
Mix 1/2 box of Borax, 1/2 box of baking soda, 1/2 box of super washing soda, 1 and 1/2 bars of grated fels-neptha soap, 1 container of Oxy Clean in BIG, BIG bowl! Mix WELL and store in pretty container in laundry room. Use 1-2 Tablespoons per load. I may use more!!!

For dishwasher detergent:
Mix 1/2 box of Borax, 1/2 box of super washing soda, 2 cups epsom salt, 12 packs of kool-aid. Mix WELL in BIG, BIG bowl. Store in a pretty container. Use 1 tablespoon in dishwashing liquid compartment. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of lemi-shine rinse aid in bottom of dishwasher before you start it! MUST USE LEMI-SHINE for this to work well!

I am in the process of testing these out! I'll let you know how well they work! They were FUN to make, cost effective, and natural!

Here are some picture for all you visual learners like me!

Our elf brought us a North Pole breakfast!