They say it happens in 3's

First Ed McMahon died Tuesday. Then this morning we hear the terrible news that Farrah Fawcett died. I was talking to my mom this afternoon and we were talking about how terrible it was that Farrah died. Death usually comes in 3's. It is eerie. So as morbid as it is, we were thinking about what actor/actresses are currently sick and how worried they may be. Immediately I thought of Patrick Swayze. Michael Jackson never came to mind. It is a coincidence that his greatest hits CD is in my truck CD player right now. Then this afternoon hearing that he died. I am sadden. A great performer, the king of pop,probably the best entertainer, etc. Even though he was a little off, I don't know anybody that didn't love his music. What a shock?!!! RIP

Boys new ride

The boys have a new ride. Although I loved the old double stroller, it was a monster(remember this). And we wore it out. One of the seats no longer reclines and is held together by a rope. The handle bar always loses its screw and the handle falls off. I think a couple walks a day and the various excursions we have used it for wore the thing out. It was so big. This one is nice because it is much smaller and lighter to lift into the truck. I did get my workout lifting the old one. And now with William wanting to walk more often, he can walk, sit or stand if he wants. Of-course I did a ton of research to find the smallest of Sit N Stands. I wanted plenty of storage for the necessities. I have been wanting a Sit N Stand for a year now. We are headed back to Disneyland on Monday so we will really be testing it out then. We used it last night at the farmers market and I took the boys to the park in it today. Boy I forgot how nice it is to use a stroller since we have been using the wagon a lot lately. These boys are heavy. The only things I don't like about this stroller is that it isn't as easy to maneuver. And the umbrella isn't that great. William is too tall so he doesn't fit under it.

How extremely sad

So I watched Jon and Kate plus 8 last night. I didn't watch just because they are all over the media but because I actually watched the show for the last few years. I have to tell you that my heart broke for them. They announced they were getting divorced and they filed the papers yesterday to dissolve their marriage. I know this is television but this is reality! They both care for their children and state they are doing this for their children. I don't live in their house but it is a subject I cannot understand. Why didn't they go to counseling? Why didn't they walk away from the show? Why? There was something that they loved about each other to marry 10 years ago. There are 8 kids involved! They say it had nothing to do with the show but do you really believe fame didn't go to their heads? I know it all makes for "good" television but this is a real family and to have this put out on the table for everyone to see is heartbreaking. I know divorce happens everyday but obviously I am not a believer of it. And I have never seen it televised. And they claim to do the show for the children and to have their memories captured. I honestly believe that these producers should make a moral stand and shut down production of this show. I know it is a money maker but do you really want these 8 and 5 years olds have their parents separation on television and tape to remember for the rest of their lives? I think the show should be cancelled for these children. It makes me cry for them. It makes me sick that I am watching the morning news and the newscasters are reporting on this like it is the weather. They are making jokes over it and laughing. Divorce has become an everyday thing that people act like this is normal. This is an actual family. It is so sad!

Random bits over the last few days

I don't usually have posts like this but I keep thinking of different things that have happened the last couple days and wanted to write them down. It may be a boring post but nonetheless it's a post!

William thinks I am his translator (even though everyone else does understand him). Examples:
"mommy tell Harry not to hit Will." "Mommy, tell daddy Will is funny." "Mommy tell Belle she is cute." I don't know where this comes from. He does talk in third person all of the time. But now I guess I have to talk for him.

William woke up from a nightmare the other night. He told me he was scared of the hot coffee. He said he didn't want the hot coffee to spill on him. It is so weird that he remembers that since it happened 9 months ago. Our kids do have a great understanding on what is "hot." William even taught Harrison how to sign "hot." I just found it odd that he had a nightmare about that.

I witnessed a screaming match at the grocery store this afternoon. I haven't seen anything like it before. Two women in the parking lot were yelling at each other because one left her dog in the car with the windows up. I understand why the other woman was so mad as I was too after I found out what the fight was about. But then she just got right down vulgar to her. I think the longer she waited for the woman to come out of the store, the more worked up she had gotten.

Harrison is experiencing more time outs lately as he has been fighting back. He likes to hit Will with hard objects.

Scott is retiling our bathrooms right now. Both had ugly small white tile that could never stay clean with two boys. William made me laugh the other day because Scott had taken one bathroom apart and the toilet is in our garage. William very seriously told me, "now you and daddy have to poop in the garage."

Happy Fathers Day!

Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there. There are several special dads in my life: My husband, my dad, and my father-in-law, my brother, my grandpa-in-law, male friends, etc. Every day should be Fathers day because we should appreciate the dads out there every day for what they do.

They take care of us. They support us. They comfort us. They love us. I am very blessed to have the men in my life that I do.

This is the last picture I have of my dad. I haven't seen him in over a year now! That makes me sad. It is hard to get home to visit but hopefully we will make a trip soon. And thank goodness for technology since we get to talk via Skype.

Happy Fathers Day!

Superman

Me: "William, who is on your shirt?"
William: "That's daddy."

Shake your tail feather

What a funny morning! We were eating breakfast when a funny squirrel decided to put on a show for us. He was on our back wall (fence) for seriously ten minutes. He was dancing, jumping up and down and shaking his tail for us. The boys really got a kick out of him. Harry "talked" to him in excitement and Will narrated his breakfast for him: "Squirrel, I am eating my bar now. I am eating my bread. Squirrel, here is lighting McQueen, etc"

Of-course, they ended up eating breakfast like this...

And after breakfast, I found Harrison looking for Mr. Squirrel.
It is nice to have an entertaining breakfast after the night I had last night. I thought I was getting to bed early a little after 10pm. Well about 10:15 William was awake again. He was crying and just wanted to be held. I was up until 2:39am with him (yes I looked at the clock when he finally went to sleep). But no sleeping in. He was back up at 6:37am this morning!!!! I'm exhausted.

Bath time?

The boys got a new toy and since the June Gloom is finally fading away and the sun is peaking, I put it together today. William constantly makes me laugh. Harrison and William were playing and splashing everywhere. William asks me to take off his shirt because he was wet. I sat and watched them. Then William took off his shorts. And then his pull up. Then he peed in the lawn and climbed in the new sink and claimed it to be "Will's bath time." He is so funny. He likes to tell me what to say. So he told me to tell Harry that his brother is funny. Harry, your brother is funny!

Boundaries

I was going to titled this post, "My New Car ." But ahh just a joke. I still drive my Chevy that I have for a few years. You will know why I changed my mind and titled this post, "Boundaries," in just a moment. After church we went to the Chili cook off and Car show in Simi Valley. It was fun and the boys loved looking at all the cars. Scott of-course dreamed of the day he can get a 67 Chevelle. Or at-least the day he can work on his 72 Chevy pick up again (it's back in Missouri right now).

The chili cook off was ok. We tried quite a few chilis but honestly, I still like mine the best. I think if we still live here next year, I will enter the contest. Scott even agreed that mine is much better! :)
Ok, onto Boundaries. So the kids didn't want to eat chili so we bought them a hamburger. Harrison and William were sitting next to me eating their burger and Scott decided to get up to get some ice cream. Well Harrison started whining a little bit and wanted his daddy. So 2 seconds later I am moving over closer to him but this woman comes up and starts comforting him. I told her, "It's okay, I'm his mom." Her response, "but he wants his daddy." She goes on to say it is ok because she is a nurse and she loves nurturing little kids. It would be okay if she kept her hands off of him instead of touching his face and head over and over again. Germ fest. So as if that isn't bad enough, it gets much worse. Both boys are still eating and William has some ketchup on his face. She licks her finger and rubs it off of his face!!!!!! Ugh! Some strangers saliva on my child's face. Gross! I really hope I don't sound bad but I really don't like some complete stranger licking their finger and rubbing it on my kids face. I don't even do that.

Oh and she didn't even get to see what Harrison really acts like if he really wants something...

This is what happens when brother doesn't share his ice cream- throw yourself on the ground and try to knock your brother's feet out from underneath him.

Family Fun Night

This isn't very interesting but I figure I should post it anyway. They are filming a movie on our street today. Getting through is ridiculous as there are tons of chairs, sets, trucks, people, etc. This is the second movie they have filmed in our neighborhood since we moved here. I didn't see anyone famous or anything exciting but I figured I would post anyway because how many times will I live some place where they film regularly on my street? I guess that is pretty cool. I didn't want to be touristy so I only took a picture from far away instead of all of the people.

We had family fun night at church tonight. We played games and ate good food. Most fun was having Scott with us. He has been working SO MUCH lately that we haven't seen him much. It was nice to be together.

Daddy's little helpers

They may not be straight lines but according to Will, the grass is now clean.

When all else fails

Forget the fork and use your face

Crash!

"That's an elephant Harry."

Oh to listen in on a 1 year old and 2 year old conversation. They are watching Baby Einstein's Animal Expedition (even though Will is asking to watch Cars). I peek in on them and Will is saying, "that is an elephant Harry. That is a zebra." Etc. Then Harry turns to Will and says, "HHHH" or however you spell babbling. Will responds, "I know" as if he really understands him. Harry offers Will some of his granola bar. Will responds, "No thank you. That's yours Harry." I love this.

P.S. I just noticed that I have a few posts lately with my kids in front of a TV. They really don't watch T.V. that much. They can't sit still for very long.

Some obsessions have rewards

Oh the obsessions. William with the movie Cars and Harrison with his Apple Jacks.

William has been watching the movie Cars for the last few weeks now. That is all he wants to watch. I am sure most 2 year olds go through this stage of wanting to watch the same things over and over again. Tonight after I put Harrison to bed, I laid down next to William and started watching Cars with him. What shocked me, and it shouldn't since he has seen it countless times, is that he was quoting the movie before they said it. But what is funny is that he is saying what is happening but then acts shocked when the action happened. And when there was no talking in the movie, he would narrate for me so I knew what was happening :) I just love it.

Harrison is beyond obsessed with Apple Jacks. Every meal and snack he wants them. He gets frustrated with me. He grabs my leg and takes me to the kitchen and points to the cereal box and lets out a little scream. He makes me laugh if we are in the living room and I ask if he wants a snack. He will smile and those little feet take off running for the kitchen. He is getting frustrated with me because I am not giving in as much and making him eat other food. Now Harrison is the strong silent type. He doesn't need to talk because his brother talks for him. He is a good communicator though. Well yesterday I held the bowl of Apple Jacks in front of him and said, "say mama, mama, mama." And what do you know, he smiled and said, "mama." I have to bribe my 16 month old child to talk! Ahh first words. Harrison is complete opposite of William. At 16 months, Will was saying quite a bit but went through a stagnant stage after 18 months. And boy I don't know why I worried at all because now he is non-stop and holds conversations with us. Harrison, on the other hand, doesn't say anything. So I may bribe my kids but at-least he said Mama!

A little lovefest

No I didn't ask them to hug and kiss. This has been happening all morning long. While playing with their Allis-Chalmers tractors great grandpa sent them, they keep hugging and kissing each other. They are just loving all over each other this morning. That probably means I should expect some pushing and hitting this afternoon, right?

Ohhh Bunnies!!!!

Every afternoon we walked to the bushes at the top of our cul-de-sac. There are always bunnies in there and they are pretty friendly as long as Miss Belle doesn't try to catch them. One has even stood right next to Harrison's feet before. This morning we woke up to 3 of them in our front yard. The boys were so excited. After a while, they left back for their bushes.

What is it about laundry baskets?

As a kid, I loved getting in the laundry baskets and playing. Scott said he did too. Well I guess it doesn't change generation to generation.

Ah life is good...

How cute is this? Two little boys laying on their couches watching television together. We rearranged William's room yesterday to put up his new TV. It just so happens that he broke his TV while Grandma and Grandpa Archer were here. They bought him this nice flat screen TV for his room. Hmm, maybe we should accidentally break the TV in our room so we can get a nice flat screen in there too :) The boys got spoiled...new couch, new flat screen and if you look close, a new Lighting McQueen bed set. William has been sleeping with us for the last few weeks so Grandma and Grandpa Archer thought he may want to sleep in his new sheets....not yet. :)

Bye Bye Archers

The week went by fast! It's been a while since this many Archers have been together at once so a family picture was necessary (because I'm not one to take pictures, right? tee hee). It was fun especially Disneyland. We have had two sick babies this week but both are getting better now. It is so nice having company but even sadder when they have to leave. William doesn't make it easy when he cries and says they can't leave. Hopefully we will see you soon!

Harry's new couch

Since William is pretty possessive of his Thomas the Train couch, Grandma and Grandpa Archer bought Harrison his very own Sesame Street couch. Of-course William had to line his right up next to Harrisons. Harry loves it! Thanks Gramma and Grandpa!

Disneyland

With a title like "Disneyland", it is really hard to pick just a few pictures for this post. Scott's family is in town. We all took a vacation to the Disneyland Resort. We rode the carousel, tea cups, train(s), Dumbo, Small World, Finding Nemo and Space Mountain. When we took our picture with Goofy and Minnie Mouse, Goofy introduced himself but William replied back with, "don't hug me."

I bought the boys the traditional Mouse ears with their names on the back. They both looked so cute in them. Of-course the grown ups also bought ears. When else can you wear mouse ears and get away with it?

The park was so pretty and elaborate. It is so big that we didn't get to see everything. I am excited to go back soon. Scott had to work. He missed out on the experience so we definitely have to go back.

Unfortunately Harrison got sick while we were there so him and I came back to the room early to help him recover. We had a slumber party last night. William was so tuckered out that he didn't have a clue that Harrison was climbing all over him. Poor baby is still really sick so hopefully being back home now, he will get to feeling better fast.