snail mail

I got a call from my sister yesterday. She wanted to know when I mailed out my Christmas cards. I told her it was several weeks before Christmas....why? "Well, we just got your Christmas card in the mail today!" Kristen lives a quarter of a mile from me. I've heard of snail mail before, but seriously where has that card been for the past two and a half months? Now I am worrying about how many others are just now getting our card. How embarassing! Maybe this year I'll get my cards sent out in October.

it's a circus

On Friday, Darren mentioned that the Shrine Circus was in town and that on Saturday morning they were allowing free entry to law enforcement officers. We decided that it would be fun to go and made plans to meet up with some friends there. We told the boys we were going somewhere fun, but kept the actual destination a surprise. The boys were going nuts trying to figure out where we were going the following day (which just so happened to be Connoroo's birthday).

On Saturday morning we got the boys loaded in the car and Cale (still not knowing where we were going) told Darren that he does not like clowns. Where did that come from? Not a good thing to learn about your three year old when you are in route to the circus! The boys had no idea where we were at until we got inside the building and they noticed all of the clowns. Connor and Coby where excited and Cale was very concerned. He immediately said, "hooooold me!" I have never had a child cling to me like Cale did in that moment, he was holding me so tight it was painful. Thankfully he was okay once we got seated and were away from the clowns. He got SO excited when Jesse and his family got there. Poor Jesse, he had to hold Cale nearly the entire time. If either Darren or I were holding Cale, he would reach out to Jesse. It was really cute! Cale knows a good guy when he sees one (plus, the popcorn Jesse was sharing with him probably helped too).

Our favorite parts of the circus:

Connor: The dogs were my favorite part.

Coby: I didn't have a favorite. I liked it all.

Cale: The elephants! that was his answer the first time I asked, but the next time he answered the cute little horsies (how in the world do you spell horsies/horseys??)

Me: I liked the elephants. More specifically, I liked the baby elephant...so cute! However, I was most intrigued by the girl who pulled herself up to the ceiling using her arms to pull herself up a very lengthy piece of fabric. I want her strength and her body! Oh, I also liked the cotton candy. I loved cotton candy as a child and apparently I still do! I realized this after stealing a bite from the boys. My mouth is watering just thinking of it!

Darren: The girls! (Why did I even ask?)

When we got home Cale told us, "I did not like the clowns! They smelled like garbage and make-up!" Coby agreed with Cale!?! Connor loved it all though and it was his birthday so I'm glad he enjoyed it.

After leaving the circus we asked Connor where he wanted to eat lunch and he wanted Freddy's. Sometimes our kids are so easy to please! We had a fun day.

how can it be?

I really can't believe it...Connor turned NINE today! I think I must be getting old. How can I possibly have a nine year old? I cannot believe how quickly the years have passed. He went from being the first grandbaby on both sides (spoiled rotten I might add) to being a nine year old with six cousins and one more cousin on the way. What a difference nine years makes.

I have been thinking a lot about Connor lately and thinking about things that make him, well him. When Connor has a passion about something he takes it to the extreme. Two years ago his life was absorbed with real estate. Yes, at the ripe old age of seven he wanted to be a real estate agent. Everything in his life revolved around real estate. He would always have a current issue of the local real estate magazine in hand, always wanted to look at open houses and shocked one real estate agent by commenting that one house had an australian closet (seriously why would a seven year old know or even care about what kind of closet a house has?). He tuned into the real estate channel daily and had every property memorized and would know immediately if a home price had been reduced from the last time he watched. This real estate infatuation lasted for about six months. Then he moved onto....

Baseball...he became enthralled with baseball next. Everything became about baseball. He wanted to have us throw balls so he could practice batting or throw balls all different ways so he could practice all forms of catching. He constantly had a glove and ball in his hand as he walked through the house. He was constantly throwing a ball up in the air and catching it. The tv was tuned into baseball...all the time! He still loves baseball but is not all consumed by it anymore. Now he's added reading and golf to the mix.

All this to say, when Connor is passionate about something he takes it to the extreme. He gives his all...he has heart. That is just one thing that makes Connor...Connor. He is a special little man.

Happy Birthday Connor!

Since Connor doesn't like birthday cake I improvised on a cake recipe I found to come up with his cake. I made a vanilla cake. Then I poked holes in it while it was still hot and poured caramel topping mixed with a can of sweetened evaporated milk over the top (I bought fat free to help offset some of the calories from the rest of the cakes ingredients...as if that helps!). Lastly, I put crushed up Heath candy bars over the top. Yummy! The original recipe called for butterfingers and then a layer of cool whip and this is where I deviated from it as we are not huge fans of cool whip and we just prefer Heath bars...hmmm, I wonder why that is?

Connor got both xbox 360 games he's been wanting. He was so happy! He also got a golf practice range that he was thrilled to get. Not to mention some birthday cash and gift cards and the amazing swing set the boys have been enjoying for the past month. I wonder if our boys know how lucky they are? I know sometimes I am just in awe over the amazingness (is that a word?) of our families and how blessed we truly are. What a great birthday. I think I heard Connor use the word "radical" for the first time ever when describing how cool his new games are. I haven't heard the word radical in years. My first born is growing up right before my very eyes whether I am ready or not.

FYI...all the pics from this post are actually from Friday (the day before his birthday). We celebrated with cake and presents on Friday because we had other plans for his actual b-day which was today. I'll post about it tomorrow or Monday.

another ball player

Well, we already know that Cale has quite a personality but now he has a passion. One that he has discovered on his own. He is in love with baseball. And I do mean in love! I have been playing pitcher all. day. long. for the past several days and there is no end in sight. When I got him out of bed this morning, the first thing out of his mouth was, "I love baseball. I'm good at baseball. I just smack that ball!" Aww. It's so cute to watch him play.

Connor loves baseball as well. Coby played t-ball last year and doesn't have a love for it. He is more interested in drawing and building legos...anything involving creating/using his imagination is right up his alley. He is SO talented in those areas. Coby is such a good brother. He'll tolerate throwing balls for Connor and he'll bat too, just so Connor can practice catching. I love it when I look out into the backyard and one of the boys has a batting helmet on and is in batting position while waiting for the other to throw the ball. You know you really do need a batting helmet on even when you are playing baseball with a tennis ball! They are so funny. What can I say, apparently they are safety guys.

Confession: I have to admit that I was kind of happy that Coby didn't want to sign up for t-ball again this year because it means two less practices a week and one or two less games as well. Now we can go as a family to all of Connor's games and not have to decided who is taking who to their game. It is so much more fun that way. But, I have a feeling that as soon as Cale is old enough to join a team we'll be taking two little fellas to games and practices again! I'm going to enjoy this year tremendously because it's gonna get crazy next year.

cake and a tornado

Cale finally got to have his birthday (cup)cake last night. He requested chocolate cupcakes, but since Darren and Coby don't like chocolate at all (what is wrong with those two?) I made a vanilla cake as well.



Why is Cale crying?

Because his mean mommy wouldn't let him lick the cake! How horrible.

Unlike Coby on his sixth birthday, Cale loved it when we sang happy birthday to him. In fact, when we were done he requested that we sing it again. And indeed we did!

This is a picture of the tornado that passed over our neighborhood on Monday. It was taken while the tornado was still forming. Wow, I just wonder what is going to happen next month when it's actually tornado season?!

guess who's three?

Happy Birthday Cale! I can't believe my baby is three...well, maybe I can. Sometimes it seems as if we just brought him home from the hospital and other times it seems as if he should be older. I really can't remember life before Cale. He bring so much life and energy into our family. I am extremely grateful that God blessed us with our little Calebug three years ago today.

We didn't have any big plans for celebrating today because Darren had tact team training until 9 pm and we certainly can't celebrate without daddy! However we didn't expect to spend FOUR hours at mom and dad's house riding out a storm. It's February after all. But that's just what we did! I am so thankful we weren't home and equally thankful that mom and dad have a storm shelter we can seek refuge in. A tornado hit one mile from our house today. In fact, it hit the two stores that Coby, Cale and I had visited less than an hour before. It was a bit too close to home this time. I have no doubt that God watching over us today. I had no idea the weather was getting bad while I was out having fun and running errands. I am so thankful He kept us safe.

Here are some things that Cale has been doing or saying over the past week or two...

Cale decided last week that he wanted to start using the potty!!! Yippee. This is not something I ever push because I (and our pediatrician) feel that kids will train themselves when they are ready. It worked with Coby and so I've been waiting for Cale to decide on his own. It was clear to me he was ready when, while reading a book together the other day, he said "I need to go potty real quick." He got up and headed toward the bathroom. He is doing so well and tells me when he needs to go. I don't even have to ask. The best part is that he does ALL of his business on the potty. Most kids are afraid to do anything other than potty at first. Not my little Calebug...he loves using the potty. But most of all, I think he loves the marshmallows he gets in return for using the potty. Works for me! I'm so proud of this little guy.

He wanted to play ball the other day and I said okay let's play some ball. He looked at me with his happy face and said "thanks for you mommy!" I thought it was such a cute way to say thank you.

He saw me with shampoo suds all over my head the other night and told me I looked like a pirate. Then he said that it looked like a party in my hair. A party in my hair? Oh my! Same night, same shower he pointed to my stomach and said that it looked like my tank was full (it was however after a big meal so I'm not taking it too personally...this time).

He wants a black bra...should that scare me? I was wearing one, he asked what it was and I told him.

Cale: Can I have one?

Me: No.

Cale: It's not for my doo doos...they not big? (Yep, that is what he calls them...I don't know why, he didn't get it from us)

I saved the best thing for last. Cale looked at me the other day and said, "You are so glamerous!"

I am laughing as I type this. If you know me at all, you know I couldn't possibly be any less glam. This is seriously the cutest, funniest thing that I've ever heard out of the mouth of any of my boys. And that is saying a lot! Now I'd just like to know where Cale heard the word glamerous...he certainly doesn't know the definition. :)

Maybe I'll finally get a birthday cake made tomorrow. I planned on doing it this afternoon, but the tornado kinda got in the way.