Jake and Josh's Mum

How am I going to pull this off?

2009-12-08T14:28:11Z

I asked Josh what he wanted from Santa and he said "I want a motorcycle that you can really ride that I can run it into the lake and then it will turn into a boat and after that it can spray apple juice at people!"

SERIOUSLY!?!

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ICE! At the Gaylord Texan

2009-12-07T16:02:10Z

We took the kids out to the Gaylord Texan yesterday for the Grinch on Ice. Its a display they have out there where they have built a whole Who world out of ice along with the Grinch and his trusty dog Max. When you first get there they give you these big blue parkas that everyone is supposed to wear and they suggest that you bring your own mittens and gloves. You proceed into a super deep freeze where you get transported into Whoville and Mount Crumpet. It takes about 30 minutes to go through the display where you watch the Grinch plan his trip to Whoville and the Whos getting ready to celebrate Christmas and how the Grinch's heart grew 3 sizes and how he takes part in the Christmas feast in the end. Almost every bit is made from ice- it was fantastic! The room is a chilly 9 degrees F. There is also 3 or 4 ice slides that the kids could go down. It took Josh some convincing but he did it in the end....Jake was quicker to do it again and again.

The Grinch is one of my favorite parts of Christmas- its also becoming one of the kids favorites too- they really like the Jim Carrey movie! Which Im starting to like more and more as I watch. After the Ice experience you enter into this room where you could buy hot chocolate and truffles and watch the Grinch on a movie screen. That was a nice warm up after the 9 degree coolness. Then of course was the gift shop that you HAD to go through before you left....and like a sucker, we bought the kids a stuffed animal each....and I bought a grinch christmas ornament.

I just LOVED this exhibit....it meant alot to me that everyone went and had fun. Here is a short video of some of the magic that was in there- keep in mind, almost everything is made from ice in here:

The Grinch on Ice

After we warmed up and bought some stuff, we headed into the main part of the Gaylord Texan, which was decorated up for Christmas and it was just gorgeous. There were toy trains everywhere and the kids could watch to trains for hours. We did alot of that. Here are a few pictures of the inside of the Gaylord Texan:

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QotD: Rockin' around the Christmas Tree

2009-12-04T21:31:35Z

The holidays are in full effect, so tell us: What's your favorite holiday song? Bonus points if you share it with us!

Well.....my favorite song is "O Come all Ye Faithful"....it always has been.....but I also really LOVE this little ditty:

I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

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Sprucing Up

2009-12-04T15:47:05Z

We've spent the month of November sprucing up the joint. I was soooooooo over my white couch and chairs, which I bought WAYYYYY before I ever thought I would have kids (and let me tell you that pop-tarts and yogurt do not look good on a white couch). And to top that off, the carpet in the living room had had the biscuit. So Johnny and I bought new furniture and new carpeting in the living room- and Im SOOOOOO happy with it! Here....have a look....

Before all of that though, I had it in my head that Josh's room needed a new coat of paint. His room was baby blue and yellow and white- it was the nursery for Jake and for Josh.....so I slapped on a few coats of grey and threw up some sports posters, and VOILA! A new room for Josh.....My Nana is getting him a new sports comforter for Christmas and that should just about complete this room.

My bedroom

But then, I got jealous.....if Josh got new color, then why not me? The only issue is that my ceilings are SOOOOOO high and we have a tray ceiling. So I decided on just an accent wall for our room....and Im pretty darn happy with the color.....here, have a look.

And of course, after all this was done, Jake was asking for new paint too. The only issue here was, he also wanted to move bedrooms. So over Thanksgiving week I stripped the spare bedroom, painted his new room and on Thanksgiving day Johnny and I moved all of Jake's furniture into his room. I then placed another order at Art.com for more cheap posters, and voila again, another sports themed bedroom. Yes- I DO have boys don't I.....

So Im done with paint for awhile....I would like to repaint the new master bedroom someday, but for now it can stay blue and red (yes, it is hideous).....For now though, Im taking a break from sprucing up.

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Go Elf Yourself!

2009-12-02T15:20:54Z

No seriously......do it....just click here to do it- you'll get a HUGE laugh out of it, I promise! Here, click on my link to see what Im talking about.....

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/DdgieNKWngBFWUKY

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The Grossology Museum

2009-12-01T16:57:54Z

On Sunday we drove down the street to the Grossology Museum in Frisco and what fun that place is! The kids got to make snot, got to discover how farting happens and they got to simulate throwing up! Sounds like fun huh? It was really quite well done to be honest. It brings the science of bodily functions to a kids mentality (oh who am I kidding- I learned alot too!). All exhibits were hands on an fun. Like the air guns that let you shoot dust particles into a nose, then the nose sneezes them all out at you.....or the giant operation game where the kids could see where each body part they just learned about resides in the body...or the giant nose you could walk into and have it sneeze on you. Even the demo on how poop is made was interesting for the kids. They also had some science things to build- like hoopster airplanes and whirlybirds that the kids got into. The exhibit is only open until January 3rd though...I would HIGHLY recommend for anyone with children over 3 years old though....it was really cool.

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Our Mini Vacation....Destination- Fort Worth

2009-11-30T15:12:21Z

A 4 day weekend is always hard to sit around and do nothing on....so this 4 day weekend we planned to head out to Fort Worth and spend the night- because lets face it....my kids don't enjoy anything more than staying in a hotel- I think all kids love that....at least I know that my brother and I always loved it when we were kids.

Wrestlin' gaters

So on Friday morning we asked the kids if they wanted to go to the zoo- but we never mentioned we would spend the night. So we headed to Fort Worth and went to the zoo. And for some reason this visit I noticed a huge difference in the boys at the zoo....they have both grown so tall that neither of them needed help to see the animals- they could stand on the ground and see the animals over the barricades all on their own. They were also more observant of all the animals this time. They LOVED the monkeys- they normally ignore the monkeys all around, but this time they had fun watching them. The Orangutans were really fun to watch- they had these burlap bags that they would drag around and cover themselves up with them and go to sleep- I told the boys that the Orangutans reminded me of them with their blankies....they loved that. We were at the zoo for nearly 4 hours- we closed the joint actually and it was the most perfect weather for it too....great day at the zoo.

I thought the rule was NO jumping on the bed Johnny!

So after we left the zoo we drove to the hotel- only we didn't tell the kids. We pulled up to the hotel (one we had never stayed in before) and Josh said- "Is this a HOTEL!?" and Jake was like "Oh it IS a hotel!!! Are we staying in a hotel!!!????!!!" I asked them why they thought this was a hotel (there wasn't many markings on the building) and Jake says "There are so many windows on the building!"...smart kid....so we checked in and luckily this hotel had an indoor swimming pool....so we went swimming....and I loved it too- because the pool was 3 feet 3 inches all around- even the hot tub....and the kids could stand all around- it was so great for me!

After we dried off, we headed to the stockyards to go see the Rodeo (or as Josh called it, the Radio). Im not sure if that was a hit or not.....the first cowboy out of the gate got his hand caught up on the bull and couldn't get free- he was fine in the end, thanks to the clowns, but I don't like seeing that.....then during the calf roping as one of the horses was pulling back on the caught calf the horse fell backwards and I was scared it got hurt- but it got up and got on its feet again.....but Jake turned to me then and said "I know Uncle David does this, but I don't like this part"....I think it scared him to see the horse go over like that (and scared me too).....Josh on the other hand couldn't get past the clowns- he HATES clowns and he was in my lap the entire time because he was scared the clowns were going to come get him....we tried to explain to him that the clowns are not there to entertain him but to help the cowboys- but he wasn't buying that. But the next few days they played rodeo together- and they both said they enjoyed it...so who knows....

OUr Fantastic Flying Machines

The next morning we went for breakfast and another swim before checking out of the hotel (oh- and we had a pillow fight too! That was fun)....then we headed for the new Fort Worth Science Center. It was great actually. We were there for nearly 4 hours too....the kids got to dig for dino bones, play with water and trains, ride a horse or two and build fantastic flying machines. That was a huge hit....we probably built 6 flying machines for them (see video for what Im talking about)....Im convinced that the boys will do something mechanical when they grow up. Another very cool exhibit there was the energy exhibit.....where we used different forms of energy to power different aspects of a city.....Very cool museum if you are ever in Fort Worth and looking for something to do....

6 flags fun

And as if that wasn't enough, after the science center we headed to 6 flags over texas for holiday in the park. It was on the way home and we have seasons passes and the weather was amazing- so we might as well huh...... We only spent about 3 hours there and I was getting tired......I can tell you though that the kids slept GOOD on Saturday night.....all in bed by 7:30am and slept until 7am the next day......it was good!

I love Fort Worth- I could live there if work wasn't over on this side of town. I always have fun when I go there and this was just the right trip for us to help pass the 4 day weekend!

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GLEE is so FREAKIN' good!

2009-11-20T22:27:26Z

Glee - Don't Stand so Close to Me / Young Girl (HQ Mash Up)

Oh I just LOVE Glee....it just makes my week to watch that show and to listen to the genius music that comes out of it. Like this weeks Ballads episode. Did they really do a mash up of the Police and Gary Puckett! The Police! One of the hardest songs ever to cover- "Don't stand So Close To Me" and Mr. Schue did a BRILLIANT job of it....I LOVED it- and I have never said that about anyone covering a Police song. Or Artie singign "Dancing with Myself"...The new spin on that song is amazing. And its not just the musoic that is amazing, the stories ar so good. Im completely addicted and obsessed with this show. I think I own every song that they have released now on iTunes....Call me a gleek......

Glee - Dancing With Myself (FULL HQ Studio)

On a side note, why do i like Lady Gaga- I HATE that i like her....I so dont want to like her....but her music is just so damn catchy.....

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Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-20T14:37:53Z

Pilgrim Josh and Turkey Daddy

Ok ok.....so Thanksgiving is still a week away, but its starting to feel like Thanksgiving around here (oh who am I kidding- with all the lights up in the neighborhood, its actually feeling like Christmas....but that doesn't go with my story now does it). Yesterday at Spanish Schoolhouse Josh had his Thanksgiving Party. They made pilgrim hats and turkey hats and had a huge turkey feast and made fun things.....then last night Primrose had their annual Thanksgiving day family supper- where they supplied the turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls and desserts. That was a nice thing.....it was such a nice night out too that we walked down to Primrose, and Josh's friend J walked home with us. Before we left I took this snap of Josh and Dad in the costumes Josh made at Spanish Schoolhouse yesterday.

Now if it would stop raining this weekend I can get my Christmas lights up too like the rest of the neighborhood! Of course, Im off of work all next week so I can always do it next week....HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ME!!!!

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What's the weather like today?

2009-11-17T15:24:35Z

Saturday was the most gorgeous day here.....the temperatures were nearly 80 degrees F and sunny. A friend of Josh's asked us to go to the park on Saturday afternoon so we loaded up the car with every type of park toy going (bikes, helmets, balls, cars, action figures) and we met them at the park at 3:30pm.....the 3 boys played so well for a good hour or so, going between the school park and the community park. Then around 4:30 or so a friend of Jake's showed up. That was a nice treat because Jake went off and played with his friend A, and Josh and his friend J played and Js mom and I got to visit for 2.5 hours! We stayed at the park until it was nearly dark and the kids were complaining that they were hungry (it was 6pm!) so we drove J and his mom home and went home. I can't even tell you how perfect that afternoon was.

Fast forward to this morning. We woke up to 40 degrees F with a west wind. Now I know my Canadian friends are thinking that this is balmy, but when we were at 80 two days ago, this is shocking. We are now wrapped up in winter jackets, mits and toques. Well- most of us are. Josh refuses to wear his winter jacket- he doesn't like it.....Im not sure why but I need to take him to look for a new jacket pronto or that kid is gonna freeze this winter. At least its sunny. We walked to school today, Jake and I, and Jake was complaining the whole time- "I wish it was never winter....it's so cold...why do we have to walk".....I told him he should consider himself lucky that he doesn't live in Canada- there is no way he can understand what cold really is.....Of course that's not to say that Im not starting to look for a job in the Cayman Islands......40 degrees is still too cold for me!

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