Boys

With all my ranting about the snow, I failed to mention the goings on of the boys. Here are a couple of pictures of them and their latest adventures.

First we have Joseph. Wednesday he tripped over a toy, fell, and hit his right hand on the toy as he was falling. He went to the doctor on Thursday because his fingers were all crooked. The doctor said he's pretty sure nothings broken but he thinks when Joseph hit his hand he caused trauma to his tendons that run the pinky and ring finger. He said it should heal up on its own, but if we see no improvement in a week we have to bring him in for x-rays. It doesn't hurt him and his only complaint is that his fingers look all weird. He was happy to hear that he should slow down on writing. ie MATH! (o;

Spencer lost his other front tooth. It happened while I was at work. (seems like everything happens while I'm at work!) Some of you may remember that he lost his first front tooth four years ago when it met with the concrete at Grandma Nelson's. He had to have it pulled. The dentist said it wouldn't grow back in until he was about 7! He turns 6 in a month, so we are hoping that when the one that just fell out starts to grow back in, it will inspire the other to do the same.
Lastly, Connor. While I was showering this morning Connor was busy "getting ready" to go to the store. (we aren't going to the store by the way) I peek out to see what he is doing and he is putting his dads deodorant on under his arms. His face looked like this. So, before I got out my mega heavy duty makeup remover (cause that's waterproof mascara on his cheeks) I took the picture. He is such a handful, but so cute and pretty innocent.

I really do love the adventures of having three boys!

SNOW!!! and Dollar Tree

We in the Nelson family are really mad! It is almost April and it's SNOWING! It has snowed for 3 days! Not funny. At least it hasn't really stuck, but the snow really cut into our family plans yesterday. You see, in Seattle, we very rarely get snow in the winter. Here is it spring heading towards summer (okay, slight exaggeration there), and the snow is falling. People in Seattle can be really stupid drivers on a dry day~when it snows (and doesn't STICK), they are down right...down right...I can not think of a word that I could use that wouldn't get me in trouble with my parents. They are that stupid! Travis and I both had the day off yesterday so we were going to take the boys on our weekly drive. The boys asked if we could go to the 7-11/Jack in the Box in Ballard(yes, they are together in one building~hence the thrill and desire to go there), and get a hamburger and a gulp (big gulp for me). Sure! We start over there. Problem was, we could not get over there. The bridge was backed up forever, so we tried to go around the long way and that was backed up. People were acting like the snow was falling at the rate of a foot a minute. So, we told the boys that we wouldn't be able to go to the 7-11/Jacks and Joseph burst into tears because we promised and he is a very sensitive boy to things like being promised fun and then it getting taken away. We promised that we would go there on our next day off. Then we drove around just trying to find anyplace to feed our children. We decided on a Taco Time. The kids were thrilled because we never go there cause it's expensive, but considering the circumstances, it was worth it. Oh, and we stopped at a 7-11 and got them each a gulp.

To make up for it even more we also went to a Dollar Tree. They each got to choose 2 items. Connor chose balls and Joseph and Spencer chose craft items that they could use to make stoplights and car washes. (ie foam sheets, straws, popsicle sticks) This was Travis's first visit to a Dollar Tree. It was fun to watch his eyes. It's the same for everyone. (you walk in, eyes glaze over and you suddenly need everything you see.) He ended up getting packing tape, pencils, and super glue~all items needed to help make brushes for tiny car washes. (he makes the best!)

We came home and made several car washes. (I'll include photos sometime soon) Travis and I then read and enjoyed the rest of our quiet evening. (quiet because they were all in the playroom watching "The Muppets Take Manhatten" and playing car wash. Life turned out to be pretty good after all. (I still hate Seattle drivers in the snow!!!)
This is just a cute picture I took of Connor while we were in the car.

Easter

Yah, yah, I know. I'm taking forever with the Easter pictures. Here are some of Saturday when they colored the eggs and of Sunday morning when they found the eggs and baskets the good old over worked bunny left them. Even Fluffy got a special treat. (o: I worked the night before and so we were pretty tired come Easter morning. I am afraid I didn't have the presence of mind to take a picture of the boys before we left for church, but they had the same cuteness that they have every Sunday before church. After church we went to Travis's parents house and had a nice dinner and even took the boys for a quick ride in the PT Cruiser. Spencer said that he had a great time at Grandma's house times a billion! That's a pretty good day!

Whoops!

Has it really been five days since I last posted? Wow, time flies. The week is a blur. Mostly I will share with you some very cute pictures. We went to Alki in West Seattle this week. It was sunny but kinda cold still with the wind blowing. Plus it was high tide, so we didn't stay too long, but long enough for the boys to have some fun and beg to go back. We promised to go back lots this summer, just like last summer.

We went to Wal-Mart yesterday and the boys got their picture taken with the Easter bunny. I just figured out how to use the scanner, so the picture is kinda crooked. Sorry. I'll do better as time goes on. I'm just happy that I finally figured the dang thing out!!!! Today we are going out to run some errands and then we will be coloring eggs before I have to go to work. Travis is at work all day so he will miss out on some of the fun. )o: We are going to Travis's parents house for Easter this year. I will be sure to post Easter pictures on Monday. Until then, enjoy the pictures from Seattle. (ps. Joseph lost a tooth Tuesday. He kinda looks like a hillbilly now, eh?)

The Library

I took the boys, as promised, to the newly redone Covington Library. It is part of the King County Library systems. (one of the best in the country) It is an interesting lay out. There is a lot of room for the boys to run around in~not the best for a library, but they also have lots of big, comfy chairs and tables and even a little nook with a cute little fireplace. We got lots of cool books to look at and to read, including the Miss Nelson books. I don't know why I never read those to them before, but they think they are pretty funny. Especially the fact that we share Miss Nelson's name. Oh, and we got a book about a family named The Stupids. Joseph loves reading that one cause he is allowed to say stupid a lot and not get into trouble. (o:

We spent Saturday out looking at the last of the Brown Bear car washes in our entire half of the state I think. (o: The boys talked to some of the workers and got some video of one of the washes working. Joseph loves to ask questions and I think the workers enjoy answering them because he is so enthusiastic and makes them feel like they have the greatest jobs in the universe! The boys always get Brown Bear antenna ball things and air fresheners and even a color book when they go and talk to the people. I'm very proud of them for not being afraid to ask questions and learn. It's fun to make appointements with our kids to do fun things with them, even if it seems like the same old stuff. Joseph is already making plans for our next joint day off, which is Thursday. I'm sure it will have to do with car washes again, but I'll keep you posted! (o:

Sunday was a pretty quiet day. We went to church. My primary class was in charge of Sharing time. It went ok, but I'm glad it is done. Don't have to do another one until August. Not that I'm intimidated by doing it or anything, but when you have to teach and entertain a room full of 8-12 year olds during the last 20 minutes of a 3 hour church day, it is a challenge. Like I said, it went okay and I'm glad I'm done for a while. (o: Travis went home teaching and we read All the Presidents Men for a while. Pretty exciting, eh? It was really nice to have a quiet and relaxing day because Travis is back to work today and I have to work 3 days this week. Back to the old grind. (o:

Oh, and for all of those who have asked. My parents and Nate and Jamie are all fine. They did not get the tornado in their area. It kind of went between them I think because Jamie lives an hour south of mom and dad. My parents are north of Atlanta. I watched the news and they made no mention of anything happening near my family, so I didn't give it too much thought, but then I started getting people asking how my folks were and I realized I hadn't heard from them, so I contacted mom who said it was very scary weather where they were, but all was well.

Also, my brother that is in that place faraway being all brave and stuff~he is doing just fine. Please keep his wife and kids in your thoughts and prayers though. Things are really rough on them without David including the fact that they had to say goodbye to their sweet dog, Roze who they have had since they were first married. We love you guys!!!

Liver Dogs and Binoculars

Wednesday was a fun day~despite the fact that I had to go to work that night. That morning we got out my special smelly markers and the boys decorated toilet paper tubes. Then we taped them together and made....binoculars! Original~not really. But we've never done it at our house, so it was really cool. (o: We were preparing a small picnic lunch to take with us on our "I Spy Signs of Spring" walk we were getting ready to go on when the phone rang. It was Travis with news that his boss was at Kohl's with her dog and if we hurried over she would wait for us to come so the boys could meet Icicle! This is huge news because every day for a month, Joseph will ask Travis if he saw Diana's dog, Icicle when he comes home from work. (She brought the puppy in to work with her one day last month.) Travis told Joseph about it and it's been excitement ever since. See, Icicle is a dalmatian and anyone who knows Joseph well knows he loves dalmatians. (Grandma Deone just bought him 101 Dalmatian movie and it hasn't stopped running since Tuesday!) His first stuffed animal was a dalmatian that barked from my Grandma Margaret. He named it Baby Doggy. He cried for a very long time when Baby Doggy lost his bark. He has accumulated several dalmatians since. He bought a little dalmatian statue at the dollar store on Tuesday. He named that one...Icicle.

Anyway, sorry, I got distracted. Back to my story. I rounded the boys up, grabbed their food and we hopped in the car. They had their "picnic" in the car on the way to Kohl's. They were willing to give that up because they were finally going to get to meet Icicle!!! Before we got there, we went over the rules for meeting a new dog. (asking owner for permission, offer your hand then let the dog approach you, let them smell you first etc.) When we walked into the office, Joseph approached a tad too quick and the poor dog, who isn't used to little kids barked her head off. We reined the boys in and one at a time they got to pet her. Joseph asked a couple of questions. One was why Icicle has brown spots instead of black. Diana told him Icicle has liver colored spots. He asked where she came from~answer was California. ("Mommy, that's where the Jack in the box guy lives!") Needless to say it was a thrilling experience for the boys~especially Joseph. When we got home they drew pictures for Icicle and I put them in Diana's box that night at work. Here is a picture of the famous Icicle.

I know that you are wondering, "What happened with the ultra cool t.p. binoculars?" Well, when we walked out of Kohl's, I realized a couple of things. 1. It was flipping cold outside~too cold for the park 2. Kohl's had a nice sidewalk that went completely around the building and parking lot~which was lined with trees and bushes. So, we got our Nature Notebook and binoculars out of the car and started around Kohl's looking for signs of spring. The boys quickly spotted (haha~spotted~dalmatians~I'm tired, so just laugh for me) signs of spring. Joseph drew a flower and picked a few dandelions and a couple of pretty little purple flowers. Spencer drew a bush with flower buds, and Mommy drew the tree with flower buds. Then we walked the entire perimeter of Kohl's. It took a half hour. We looked at lots of things and had some very interesting conversations about spring, dogs, car washes, pt cruisers, dogs, car washes, stoplights, service projects, the fact that we were cold, dogs and car washes. (o: We wrote an I Love You note and put it Daddy's car, and then we went home. It was a very fun day and it was really hard having to leave home that night for work. Joseph even informed me that I was a good mom. So, here are a couple of pictures of my 'spring spies.'
That's all I have for that day. Yesterday we did the usual drive to Seattle, but we drove a different way getting there. The boys really love just riding in the car. We got them a burger from Dicks Drive-In(YUM!), and they got a little gulp from a 7-11(a huge thrill!!). Travis and I read together for a while and we called it a good day. (o: Today I think we might go visit the Covington library. They spent 4 months remodeling it and I hear it's fabulous. The boys are super stoked to see it, so if we go, I'll give a report. Until then...have a super day!

The Clean Gene

I think that one of the biggest disservices that we can do for our children is to teach them indifference. Our boys are very loving and kind. They can be very passionate when it comes to subjects that they love. They are very protective of each other. But the one thing that I am afraid that Travis and I both taught our boys is that keeping a clean and tidy home isn't very important. Now, we are not slobs by any means, but neither Travis nor I inherited the clean gene. I do not know how I could have possibly missed out on it, but I did. My mom is the cleanest person I have ever met. I actually had a friend say back in high school that our house was like a museum! Mom has never been the healthiest person and she had 5 kids, yet our house was always sparkling. She credits her mom, but how come I didn't get it? My sister Jamie is a freak of nature too. (o: She has 6 kids and a very clean house. I would much rather curl up with a 900 page book than do the dishes any time. As long as the clothes are clean, does it matter that they are in the basket in the laundry room? Plus, I have Connor who is the complete antithesis of tidy. That child (remember his aka is SOS?) lives for making a mess. But, they are kids, right? Kids make messes, right? Well, when I say it's a clean up time and we start putting things away, these kids don't care. They don't care that I'm ready to throw every toy on the floor out the window. They feel it is a tremendous feat to have to pick up every single lego and that I am just so unfair for daring to even ask. "Besides, as soon as we pick it all up, we are going to need to dump it out again because we need certain shapes and colors." Sigh. They have a point there, but this is my fear. I have no daughters. Chances are good I never will, so I want my boys to go out into the world (a long time from now) and find a sweet young girl to marry that I can call daughter. (my in-laws say I'm just like a daughter)My fear is that after they marry they will discover that my boys are slobs and be very mad at me and then I will not have any daughters who will think I'm the most fabulous mother in the universe. (o: So, with that at risk, I think I will now go and dust off all those parenting books that we bought ten years ago and see if they have any ideas on how pack rat, easy going parents can teach their children that a clean house is super fun! Wish me luck on that. (o:

In other news~much more cheerful (sorry that I was kinda whiny up there), Grandma came over to stay. Travis's mom used to come over and spend one night a week with a us. A little mini-vacation of sorts I suppose. She had surgery last month, though and hasn't been able to come over. Plus, my work schedule has been as such that we have had a hard time coordinating dates. But this week we worked it out and grandma got to come over. The boys took her in the playroom and we didn't see them for almost 2 hours. They talked her ear off and showed her things they had made and just couldn't get enough of her. I fear for my parents when they come to visit. It's only been a couple of months with Grandma Deone, it's been 3 years with my parents! (o: Needless to say that we had a great time with her. Yesterday we took her to our new favorite place in the universe~Dollar Tree. Good old dollar store. I had to pick up some stuff for Travis for Kohl's, so we all went and I'm afraid that mom is now hooked like we are. She didn't have anything to buy when she went in, but in about one second of walking through the doors, she realized she needed so many things that she filled her cart. I told you there is a spell about that place!

Okay, so enough for today. When I sat down I thought I didn't have anything to say. Hey~everyone who knows me~STOP LAUGHING at that statement. (o: Have a super fabulous day!

Toilets and Car Washes

Today we took the kids on yet another drive around the town. There is a Brown Bear Car Wash that we have been watching get built just down the hill in the valley. Today we went down to check its progress, and low and behold, it was finished and working!!! Travis decided that we should go through as a special surprise. Joseph was beside himself with glee when we told him. Now, even though he has this obsession (yes, it is an obsession) with car washes, he has always been afraid of going through them until recently. He has gotten braver and braver with each time through. Today he didn't close his eyes once and only plugged his ears for a moment. I took the picture of them when the "rainbow shampoo" as he calls it had completely engulfed our car. He looked a bit worried, but when it was over, he proudly proclaimed that that was the bravest he ever felt in a car wash. He has talked nonstop about it since and is in the living room building a car wash ~ new and improved for his toy cars. My boss at work told me to keep documenting all of this because when he does finally open his own chain, he can hang up pictures of himself as a child loving car washes~you know, show the customers that this really is a life-long passion. (o:

In other news, yesterday the boys and I went to the library, played on their mini kid computers and checked out some cool new books. (has anyone read the Mr. Putter and Tabby series? They are darn cute & Joseph loves them) Then we went on a walk all around old Kent. We stopped at some picnic tables and had a little picnic of sandwiches and apple slices, and then went over and visited the ducks back at the library. It was nice and sunny yesterday and has been that way for a while. Today it was cloudy and looked like rain. (good thing it didn't~I'd have been mad if our $$ car wash got ruined the same day!) We got a book called "Flush! :An Ode to Toilets" by Charlie Williams. It's about a boy who loves toilets except the scary one at the mall. It has hilarious illustrations and is just a silly book. The boys laughed so hard they cried when I read it to them. Then their dad read it to them. Again with the laughing. First thing I hear Spencer say this morning is~look, a remote control toilet! (burst into fits of laughter)(there is a picture of a "future remote toilet in the book). I love having boys! They are so fun! It cracks me up that a book about toilets can bring them such joy!

I'll leave you with a couple of pictures of the boys with their backpacks. We had just finished all our walking and were saying hello to the ducks. Please take note that Joseph carried his stuffed animals, Spencer had the food, and Connor had his favorite blanket. Funny kids!

Remember This Song?

Our boys have found that they love The Muppets! They now have the first two season's of the Muppet Show on dvd, so we checked them both out from the library. The boys immediately fell in love with this song. Travis and I have been walking down memory lane for days now. Just the beginning drumroll sends us back a lot of years. (o: It's fun to share this with the boys. BUT~we are really starting to feel old!

Connor (SOS)

Travis jokingly and lovingly calls Connor the "spawn of Satan". (We even noticed that the acronym is SOS.) I'm afraid some days I have to agree. He is such a little turd sometimes~okay~a lot of times! But he's so darn cute all the time! He absolutely lives for making messes and defying most of what we tell him to do. (like stop making messes) But, he can be very helpful when we ask him to as well. Total contradiction~this kid. He goes to bed at about 7pm and is awake exactly 12 hours later. No compromise there. He stopped napping ages ago and he's only 3! His newest thing is taking all of his clothes off. I can not keep clothes on him. Whether he's wearing his underwear or a pull up, it doesn't matter. He has to show them off. I dress him and 5 minutes later there is he, naked again! Oh, but he likes to put his shoes on after he takes his clothes off. Go figure! As long as he has his favorite blanket and his thumb, he's happy. I took the above picture this morning after I got after him for tearing the guest bed (otherwise known as Grandma's bed) apart and making a huge mess~for the 10th time in two days. He ran in the living room with his favorite blanket and said, "Okay, I watch rocket and Einsteins now." Sigh!

Oh, and a very cute thing he said this morning. I was cleaning a big old piece of earwax out of his ear. I joke with the boys that they have bees and ants living in their ears because there is so much wax and dirt in there. So, I pulled the wax out and Connor said, "What's that?" I said, "Bees wax." and he said, "The bees put a booger in my ear!" He was so serious and cute! Makes the SOS not so bad. (o:

Our Great Adventure

Saturday Travis had the day off and I didn't have to be to work until the evening, so we planned a field trip outing of sorts for the family. I had suggested we try going down to Tacoma instead of our usual Seattle. Travis had the idea of looking up a few Brown Bear Carwashes on the route to Tacoma that we could stop and visit. He planned the route and we headed out with camera in hand. It was a lot of fun. It was nice going someplace new for a change and the boys got some special treats. We ate ate at an A&W/KFC where we got excellent service. The boys got their own hotdog and rootbeer. Yum! The highlight of the day was at the Brown Bear/Chevron. The car wash was not working right, so no cars were going through. Travis took Joseph and Spencer over to look at it, check it out and take pictures. The attendant there (his name was Donald) came out and told them they could go inside and check it out. He took them in and Travis took some pictures. Joseph was a tad nervous, even though Donald promised he wouldn't turn it on while he was in there. Then he gave them each a Brown Bear antenna ball and a couple of car fresheners. They thought that was the end all be all. It was a lot of fun and the kids are already begging to do it again. Maybe we'll have to plan a different route with new car washes. I will leave you with a couple of pictures from our excursion.