Words.

Lately my words have been running together, and I just can't seem to get out what I want to communicate effectively. VERY FRUSTRATING.
But yesterday, I realized I hadn't been blogging because I am frustrated with my lack in communication skills!!! So... as I was thinking about communication, I remembered several funny things Ryan has said lately. He also is trying to communicate effectively (the only difference is that he is 3!) and therefore constantly learning new words and "trying them out". Haven't posted a Friday funny in awhile, but this was sufficient for comedy in our household.


New Words: gamey, gooder, notice, bettery, idea.

Now let me expand....

define gamey:

Joe: Ryan I think its time for you to go to bed.
Ryan: Um... I'm hungry.
Joe: Ryan, every night you try this... and remember that you need it eat when it's dinner time and not at bed time.
Ryan: I'm GAMEY.
Joe: Oh really, what is gamey?
Ryan: It means I really NEEEEEED to play games still.

When I was sick last week Ryan said - " I have an idea, you go pee on the potty, poop, brush your teeth (his bedtime routine) and get in your bed dcuz you're sick and my idea is I stay awake all night (he thinks I stay awake all night).

One morning we were driving to daycare and I told Ryan that spring would be here soon, and he says "I didnt NOTICE that"... ( a new word in his vocab)... then I proceeded to ask him where he learned the word. He said " I just noticed it." I couldn't help but laugh!

The last tidbit is that we were driving home last night from the store and Ryan wanted to go home and eat ice cream from his house not the store because " it is gooder". So I tried to explain that gooder is not really a word, but better is. So he should say "The ice cream at our house is better.".... SO with all seriousness, Ryan says "Daddy the ice cream at our house is bettery."....

So all of this is from Ryan, but Logan is having more and more moments. Most of his moments are actions... copying Ryan ALOT. His newest fun thing is telling our dog BB, "no-no".


Our lives are often consumed with children's needs and wants around here, but the funnies and the love make it alllll worth it! I am looking forward to the new things we will learn this next week... maybe just maybe I will blog something other than my Friday funnies!

Super mom...

More like super whiny mom. That has been me this week! But I must say, never before have I admired my mom more. Around the end of last week it all started. Joe had a cold, then on Friday I was feeling pretty miserable by the end of my work day. Even so, I had "plans" for the weekend and wasn't going to let a petty cold get in my way. NOT. By Saturday morning, I was not wanting to move! I thought it was the worst cold ever.**( I don't EVER remember my mom whining about not feeling well, unless she had a migraine. But the flu? Nope, no whining. Just one amazing mommy.) ** So we made it through the weekend and I had off on Monday because Joe was having oral surgery during the day and was going to need a driver. Simple thing right? Once he was home he was pretty sore as we expected. By this point I was completely "ignoring" the cold like symptoms, along with the fever just to get through the night. Surely I would feel better once I went to work tomorrow. Off to work I went, not saying a word about not feeling well ( I didnt want them to know I was such a baby!). So when the sitter called and said Ryan was screaming and pulling at his ear I was somewhat relieved that I might get some rest too! Selfish, I know. Anyways things have just been "progressing" it seems around here, and I wonder will it ever end? Both boys now have ear infections, I have strep and other junk going on, and Joe now has a dry socket where he had surgery on Monday! SOOOO how do moms with 4, 6, and 8 children do it???? How did MY mom do it while working full time and having 4 children??? I have never been more grateful for my mom. I always remember her being sympathetic while we were sick.... and loving us... even if she didnt feel well. Every negative thought I have I start to wonder what is God trying to teach me through this? Yes, it happens to all moms out there. But do all moms have the right motivation, and attitude in caring for their children? Is he teaching me patience? Or is he simply bringing me to realize that NOTHING is done in my strength but His. And then I wonder, how many times my mom went to God asking for HIS strength and not her own. How many times has he provided strength to all the moms out there? His grace, love, and mercy amaze me. I'm thinking I should stop aiming for "super mom" and start aiming for being FILLED by Him, with his Love, Mercy, and STRENGTH.

Friday Funnies...

So lately, as soon as Ryan gets to something difficult (in anything - games, peeing, putting on his clothes, etc) he says "he's done" or "you do it for me".... so the other day we told Ryan that just because you come across something that might take some work to do you shouldn't give up. Our motto has been try, try, try again. Obviously we will help him, but want him to see how rewarding it is when you succeed after putting in your all, or even failing first. So last night Ryan was playing a game, and said " Dad, God wants you to help me". WHAT?! Wow - talk about learning manipulation early... we have a lot to work on, but it was definitely funny.
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At Christmas time Ryan received cowboy boots, hat, and vest for Christmas -- and LOGAN has been the one sportin' it almost EVERY day! He has even learned how to say "yee haw". The other day right after bath time he was still naked, and he walked into the bathroom where I was with Ryan - naked except for the vest and hat and shouted ' YEE HAW!!
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My New Years Resolution...

I fear my New Year's resolution will be something I always struggle with. Yeah there are lots of those things like overeating, weight, impatience, the list goes on... but this is something very real and frustrating to me. Something that I never thought would be an issue - but it has become one. VIDEO GAMES. Yep, I said it. No, I am NOT obsessed with playing video games, I am far from it. They can sometimes ruin my day - mostly - MY ATTITUDE. My amazing husband has a great gift for playing these, and it is his favorite hobby. In no way do I want to take this enjoyment away from him, I just prefer to have nothing to do with it. In past, I have made some attempts to involve myself in them, by finding games I would like to play and getting him involved. Did you see how that worked? They were games I wanted to play. Not necessarily what he wanted to do. So selfish, I know. So until today, I genuinely thought that was a "good enough" effort... involving myself with them, even if it was something I chose to play. BUT anyone who knows Ryan knows that he ADORES his daddy, and wants to be JUST like him! And he is. So for Christmas Ryan got a few games... some that he could play with us, and some he could play alone. Well since Christmas I have hardly seen the kid, and it down right ticks me off. I think all things are good in moderation. That is a philosophy I truly believe. Then today Joe reminded me to "find something else to preoccupy him specifically" to deter his mind from ONLY wanting to play the games. So I thought about it and decided I would play a game he wanted to play and REALLY pay attention, and get involved. So as we were playing a short demo game, Ryan was just giddy telling me what everything was and what I was supposed to do. Joe said to me " Heather, he has watched this demo 50 times, but never been this excited. It's because you care about something he loves." THAT WAS HARD FOR ME TO HEAR. So my resolution is to be more in tune with my children, and their unique abilities, even if it's not something I really enjoy.

Belated Friday Funnies...

So this week's funnies are late, but here nonetheless! The last week has been somewhat of a whirlwind around here. Uncle Pully (Andrew) came to visit last week and was here for Christmas. It was great to have him around and the boys absolutely LOVE having him here! Christmas Eve was just as busy as the 4 days after... and I'd say there were SEVERAL funnies mixed in there!

Christmas Eve day Joe had to work, but after that we opened Christmas Eve gifts (our new pjs), went out to dinner for our traditional Chinese dinner, and then we were SUPPOSED to go right to church after that. Being the little piggies we are, we had an hour to spare in between dinner and church... if we went home we knew we wouldnt make it back out! So we decided to drive around (in the freezing rain) and look at Christmas lights (which lights here CERTAINLY do not compare to those living south of us!). While we drove around we listened to "walking in a winter wonderland".... all of a sudden RYAN pipes up and says " Dad, where's wonderland?"

As our Christmas Eve continued on, we enjoyed a wonderful Christmas Eve service at North. We finally arrived home and put our anxious children in bed and they were out! I still had wrapping to do for our 3 big gifts... and as Joe pulls out the box (11pm) to put together Ryan's smart cycle, he says "oh no... we need 4 D batteries." We were both shocked since this plugs into the tv that it needed batteries, but it did. SOOO lo and behold I ran out to the ONLY gas station left open, and prayed they would have batteries! And they did - for $13.00!!! Now it's funny, then not as much.:)

We made it to Christmas morning and Ryan was so excited to open the gifts! Keeping him away from Logan's gifts was a bit of a struggle. Logan enjoyed it, but had no real emotion until his big gift which was his Elmo chair. The emotion we expected with Ryan was not there at all as he calmly opened his gift and said " here's my bike". He already knew! Guess I now have to be careful about little ears listening!!! Once he saw the bike out he was definitely excited. BUT the big funny for me was when I asked Ryan if he wanted to play his new video game, he asked me so politely " when do we have to take it back to Blockbuster?".... I laughed and said " we don't, it's all yours!". .... Ryan SQUEALED with delight, jumped into my arms hugging me and said "It's really all mine?!!!"

Ryan is becoming So much more curious than he has been and has started in with asking WHY to everything!

Logan is my baby. My lovable boy --- but is growing fast and becoming quite independent. He squeals and will yell "STOP IT!" if he doesnt want you to hug or hold him. He is also my little musical man. He can hum several tunes after only hearing them once or twice. This weekend we attended a birthday party, so the newest song around here is "HAPPY BIRTHDAY". Before that it was "What's gonna work? Teamwork..." (from the wonderpets) and ABC's, and Twinkle Twinkle Little star.

These boys keep me going! I'm glad we can laugh together along the way...

Christmas 2008

Creamy Choc Covered Oreos...

YEAH FOR NEW RECIPES!
In starting my new job this week I have been able to share a few recipes, and also gain a few! You know how that makes me happy. So my trainer Lil offered a new recipe for
Creamy Chocolate Covered Oreos.

Here is the recipe SOOOOO simple and DELICIOUS! And if you are going to the cookie swap Sunday... DO NOT REPEAT THIS RECIPE because there will be duplicate recipes if so! :)

Ingredients:
One bag oreo cookies
12 oz cream cheese
1/2 bag choc chips (can change to almond or peppermint bark, white, milk, or dark chocolate - be creative!)
Once again be creative and choose one - coconut, red sprinkles, crushed candy cane.

Crush the entire bag of oreos and break up the cream cheese. Stir together well. Let dough sit in fridge for 1 hour.
Remove dough from fridge and roll into approximately 28 balls.
Melt chocolate chips (or bark) and dip each ball into the chocolate one at a time.
Place on wax paper and sprinkle with chosen candy.


YUUMMMY!