Pictures...

Alright already!!! I just haven't 'been feeling it' with blogging and adding pictures. And to upload this many pictures, you HAVE to 'feel' it! So, whether I feel like it or not.... here are some of my latest pictures!

Getting them to pose together is a futile effort! But I try...

It appears to be more like torture....This just made me laugh - I had no idea BJ was snapping pictures! Just a day in the life...We got our (wonderful) neighbor to come over and take a picture of me and BJ before his company Christmas party.

Christmas #1... Sam's back there helping put things together... we actually just let them open some presents early so we didn't have to bring them back from my parents' house (smart, huh?)

Christmas #2 with BJ's side of the family...We have entered into this century!!!! We now have a flat screen T.V. I think we are the last....Brandon and Mandy... they got engaged over Thanksgiving and will be getting married in October! We're so excited to have Mandy (officially) in the family!!!! She is absolutely beautiful and is just as beautiful on the inside!!!!Opa and Ernie (her name is Inny, but Sam started calling her Ernie when he couldn't say Inny, and it has stuck.... we think it's cute!!!)

Our happy little family of four...

The whole fam... they'll thank me for this one day --- I think!!!!This is the 'damage' Sam had done to himself when he didn't nap and decided to draw with a furniture pen all over his room!!!!!

Sam and Jake went to Mimi and Pop Pop's while we went to BJ's party...Sam has been pedaling for quite awhile now.... I hear that's somewhat of a 'milestone'!?Sometimes, you just have to turn on the T.V. for them.....Again, trying to get them in a picture together...

Yup... told you! (Daddy's hand is right there on the left catching him!)We got a good one!CHRISTMAS.... the table...Opening ONE gift while we waited to open all the gifts... don't ask why! Five minutes to a 2-yr-old can be like five HOURS! For the parents!!!!

Present time!

Sam's stack...Jake's stack.... he couldn't exhibit self-control, obviously!!!Jake had more fun sitting on the boxes!Bo, Jen and their baby!

Rocky was growling at Jack because Jack was under the tree getting 'his' treats!!!Putting stuff together for the kids!

This doesn't do the mess justice... it kinda got cleaned up as we went this time!Waiting to go down to see what Santa brought!Can't wait anymore!Seeing what Santa brought them...'Jake' got a ball pit! LOVES it!

Hee hee hee!Take it OFF!Awww.... a Christmas morning to remember!

They got SO hot, so we just let them run around shirtless!

And then Jake was "happy" running up and down the foyer!?Bo and Jen... aren't they cute?

Us with the grandmothers...Jake just needed someone to rub his belly... he was SOOOO full!!!!Taking the trash to the dump... in style!

OK... I did it! Whew! Three hours later (literally), and I have pictures on my blog! Still not 'up-to-date' but this will do for now! The house is still dirty, the laundry still isn't done, the kids are running wild (and are hungry), and dinner hasn't even been thought about; but by golly, we have pictures!!!!!

I gotta start somewhere...

I have been a little overwhelmed with how far behind I am with blogging and posting pictures, which causes me to put it off even more... which causes me to feel more overwhelmed... you see the vicious cycle! So ---- I gotta start somewhere... we'll see how far I get!!!!

First - What are those kids up to?

• Jake is obsessed with dog food. I was rocking him to sleep just now and all I smelled was dog food (bummer, because he still has that YUMMY baby smell)! He grabs a handful and runs. Usually he drops it, but at least a couple times a day I find myself digging it out of his mouth! This morning, he saw me coming and ran. I told him to give me the dog food - it's amazing to me just how much he can understand (when he wants to) - and he opened his mouth and gave me one piece (I could see at least two more); turned and kept running! I caught him and dug the other pieces out. YUCK! And get this... we usually buy the small dog food for our small dog, but this bag we accidentally got the LARGE BREED food!!! BJ and I, in our 'laziness,' decided Stormie could handle the larger pieces just fine...... WHAT ABOUT JAKE????????? Great time to get BIG dog food for the obsessed baby to CHOKE on!!!!!!
• Jake can say over 30 words now. He is simply amazing. He can repeat back even more that that! He tells us he's happy, NO (that's a great one), uh-uh, etc. I can ask him where Daddy is and he'll point or tell me, "I don't know!" Really --- I'm not exagerating! Yep, add it up - he's only 14-months-old!!!!
• Sam started 'singing' in the car. It just happen that he was singing "No-No" over and over. Jake joined in. Absolutely adorable!
• Jake is a loving little thing. He will run up to us in the middle of playing, give us GIGANTIC hugs (and kisses), then push us away to go play again! Those hugs are priceless!!!!!
• Jake LOVES to 'sing' and dance. Anytime he hears music he's swaying or bouncing up and down.
• Sam is just as cute and amazing. Although, his 'stories' are turning into those devious 2 1/2-year-old moments.... I was washing dishes the other day, and he stuck his finger in my pants and said, "I see your crack, Mommy!" (It wasn't showing, by the way!)
• My mom was holding him before we opened presents at Christmas and asked him if he wanted to open one present while we were waiting (don't ask on what). He smiled SO BIG and YELLED, "THAT'D BE GREAT, MIMI!" It was hysterical!!!
• Sam plays with his cars and other toys and now has conversations back and forth with them. It's funny to listen to and watch. He's growing up!!!! =(
• We were asking Sam what his full name was and he said, "Samuel Walker Laterveer." Then we asked him what Jake's full name was. He said, "Jake-uel Walker Laterveer."
• If Sam 'needs' my attention and I'm on the phone, he'll say, "Stop talking Mommy!"
• I put Sam down for a nap yesterday and had to go in there a few times. He just wasn't sleepy. The first time, I was tucking him back in and saw that he had a huge (devious) grin on his face. As I was searching for the sheet, I found his McQueen rubber rain boots on his feet! The next time I went up there, I was met at the door by a buck-naked 2 1/2-yr-old! He had taken his clothes (and underwear) off, climbed his dresser (again) and had decided he wanted to wear his McQueen jammy pants! Oh boy!!!!

Hopefully I'll think of more Sam stories.... we are constantly laughing at what he comes up with!

Christmas pictures and all the rest will come soon. There.... I got started at least!!!

Just Today...

Just today...

I have broken the faucet. Ripped that bad boy right off - water squirted like a fire hydrant. What a mess!

Jake (or Sam - I'm really not 100% sure) colored on himself with a green marker. I think it could POSSIBLY have been Sam because it is mostly on his neck.

I put Sam down for a nap and after going in there a few times I told him his new toy(s) would be in time out if I had to come back in there, so to lay down and be quiet. I didn't hear anything from him and assumed he was sleeping (for an hour and a half)!!! He came out of his room with black 'marker' all over him. After a few questions and him showing me a few things, turns out it was the FURNITURE REPAIR PEN! Didn't even know it was in there... not to mention he had to CLIMB THE FURNITURE to get to it! So, there is black furniture repair 'paint' on Sam's face (pictures to come, I'm sure), Sam's jammies, Sam's mobile, Sam's sheets, and on every piece of paper he could find (there wasn't much). Miraculously, the walls were untouched!!!! (Sam never slept... should be an even more interesting afternoon!?)

It's only 3:00..... thank goodness BJ is on his way home - to fix the sink!

The FIRST Christmas Program...

So Sam had his first ever Christmas Program last week. I was so excited to go and see him 'perform.' Sadly, he was sick the weekend before and had to miss school on Tuesday. He definitely wasn't 100% by Thursday, but he wasn't contagious, and I was SO GLAD he was able to go! I think I would have been WAY more dissapointed to miss it than he would have been, though!

The theme was 'Bethlehem in the Barn,' so the kids were instructed to dress in western/Christmas attire. Don't know how that exactly ties together, but we figured it out! My mom found some cowboy boots and a cowboy outfit - and he wore a plaid shirt with red in it to tie in the Christmas part. I really didn't think Sam would wear any of it, but once he wore the boots a few times, we couldn't get them off of him, and BJ dressed him that morning in his chaps, vest and hat, and he LOVED it! I honestly couldn't believe it that he would wear the hat, but he did! AND - he still had it on by the time he had been at school for and hour and the program started!!!!

The three and four-year-olds were on the risers and sang a few songs. The two-year-olds came on stage for one song, then bowed and went back off (guess they weren't to be trusted to make it through the whole thing!?) I was so proud of my little guy! He looked so cute, and, get this... he even BOWED with the rest of them!!!! I was so shocked and excited to watch him 'perform'!!!!!

There he is on the far left (yeah.... the only one in a hat and full-on costume!)

Close-up!Talking to his friend!Exiting right stage!

So we don't do anything halfway. None of the other kids were QUITE as 'dressed up' for the them, but Sam enjoyed it, and it helped us spot him quickly!!!! This is one time where it would have been hard to have a girl, because we all know she would have had to wear a frilly Christmas dress!!!!

After the program, we had a Christmas Party for the kids and parents in Sam's classroom. Sam had fun, but he kept telling me he was ready to go. You see, my parents and BJ were there as well, and Sam knew he was going to Mimi and Pop Pop's after the party. So, he was ready to get the next party started!!!!! Stinker!!!!

Here's the fam... Mimi and Pop Pop came too - thank goodness!!!!

Sam and BJ made a gingerbread house for the table decoration at the party. Mimi made the reindeer cupcakes.... with Pop Pop's help of course! They were so cute!!!! What would I do without her???

'Ode to My Husband

Twas a night we attempted to get in the bed
Early as possible because we were so dead.
Days and nights of sick and whiny kids;
Mommy was also feeling sick as the others so did.

Snug and warm in our bed finally -
All we could hear was the soft hum of the t.v. and the snoring of the puppy.
When all of a sudden did we hear
A screaming child oh so near!

Up sprang my hubby with one agile bounce,
"It is Jake" was all I could announce.
Out the door Daddy flew
To see if he could make the baby coo.

In a NyQuil induced coma I did float.
In and out, I hear the baby cry and the Daddy dote.
Half drunk and half asleep,
To the baby's door I did creep.

My intentions were sincere,
I wanted to go in there.
I stopped outside the door to hear
My husband singing to the baby oh so dear.

I stopped at the door and listened awhile.
Tears in my eyes were beginning to pile.
I heard remnants of "Hush Little Baby don't you cry,"
Then words only a Daddy could compile.

After an hour of repeat,
The baby finally did sleep.
My husband climbed wearily back into bed.
As I said, "I'm sorry," "It wasn't that bad," was all he said.

I fell back asleep hearing in my head
The sweet words to be kept between a baby and his dad.
And the sweet dear thought slipped past
That I am so very blessed!

BJ - you are the best daddy and husband in the world!!! I love you!

Picture Mania

So this time, Jake got sick right after Thanksgiving and Sam has followed him... AGAIN! However, Jake 'just' had a cold - still stinks to have a sick baby that you really can't give anything to except TLC. Not to mention he's cutting three 1-yr-molars too! Sam, on the other hand has had high fever and puking. I don't know if it's just his 'thing' that he pukes whenever he gets a fever or if it's just another stomach bug. Bless his little heart. He's so pitiful! And none of us have gotten that much sleep the last few nights. Geez... I am DONE with all this sickness business! He fell asleep on his 'sick pallet' - and Stormie is always 'sick' with whomever will sit still!

I have quite a few pictures/stories to share - so get ready!

Here are the "Popsicle Amigos" at work. A lot of nights, they have to share Popsicles with Dad!

We went to the farm a few weeks ago, and here's Sam enjoying his snack and Gatorade.

We took Jake's walker and he literally took off out there and hasn't turned back since. That weekend was really the turning point for his walking - he figured out how to 'maneuver' the walker around things (instead of running into a wall and turning to look at me and whine). When we got home, he started walking more and more, and within a couple of days, the walker was history (unless he just needed to go faster)!Jack helping... he has gotten so big!Sam and Jake in the woods. Jakes' pretty happy about it, huh? I think it was close to dinner time... and we didn't take a snack cup along for the ride - big mistake to EVER leave a snack cup behind!

Snack time at our house...Jake feeding Sam... (Sam not sharing his)Jake feeding Stormie!Jake took over as 'boss.'Then Sam snatched it away...And has maintained his title!Our big turkey - this is how he came home from school before Thanksgiving. See all the stains on his shirt? The teachers had his jacket zipped all the way to his neck!!!! It was grape jelly from his sandwich... so it was technically BJ's bad (he made the sandwich!!), but I thought it humorous that the teachers tried to 'hide it' until I got him home!!!!! Sam helped me make brownies for his Thanksgiving party at school...And loved every minute of it!This is the reality of life with kids... my OCD-self has had to learn to 'let it be.' At least until the kids go to bed!!!!! My....... how life has changed!!! Mommy put the boys to work... none of them miss the chance to do "man-work!" Can you see Sam's screwdriver???? Jake really just wanted to climb on the ladder!!!My boys!Is that fear on Jake's face???? I'm afraid it was!Sam had such a great time helping us decorate the Christmas tree! So did Jake.... yes, that is a plastic bag in his mouth! We were watching him the whole time... promise!!!Thanksgiving..... Bo slept in the same room as Sam - who got up way earlier than Bo usually does!Playtime with Jack!Jake was saying, "Wait up guys!!!!" The MimiThe Mimi and the Pop PopMe and my (littlest) baby Bo and his kidPlaytime... (yes, that is a pink bubble popper you see in the background - my grandmother was really hoping for a little girl!!!!!!)And we're down (he didn't hit his head, by the way!)And Jake is escaping up the stairs... AGAIN! This kid has stair radar!!!

Now... we're getting into the holiday spirit!

This was Sam's first 'homework assignment.' Looks just like a 2-yr-old did it, huh? Mama and I helped him (he colored it, obviously! We looked at it and said her face looks bruised, so when we finished it and mentioned it anytime thereafter, Sam says, "I bruised her face!" Ummm...my bad!) But all-in-all, I think Sam did a good job!?This is my most favorite decoration in our house (the tree is a close 2nd, though!)And, a little holiday cheer for all!!!!! Most moms wouldn't have even bought the picture, but... these are my kids, and this is my reality! Everyone else has their perfectly dressed kids with their perfect hair and perfect smile on their holiday cards (and are living in a dream world). Not me! This is my reality, and it makes me smile SO BIG every time I look at it - because they are MINE, and I think they're cute!!! (Not because they are in distress - I promise!)

Merry Christmas........ time to get into the holiday spirit - Here comes Santa Clause!!!!!