Sunday, January 31, 2010

Boys Just Wanna Have Fun!

Last night Daryle took Travis to the Monster Truck Jam event in Phoenix. They had such a good time! This is the third time they have gone and they just love it. I guess it was exciting because several trucks had wheels come off. This morning Travis told me "Mom, it was just the assxles" ... so funny! He made "axle" sound like "a$$hole". I almost fell out of my chair laughing! His speech still cracks me up when he can't pronounce certain words. We are working on it, I promise!
Mr. Connor is also advancing in his speech development. Last night my mom, dad, Connor and I went out to dinner while the "big boys" were at the Monster Trucks. The waiter came to take our drink order and Connor looked right at him and said, "mmmphenieofpehjtieiew" and the guy shook his head and said ok, diet cokes all around? We said yes. Either this guy has never been around babies (he didn't look a day over 20) or he is an airhead. He brought Connor a diet coke!! We all started laughing, except for the waiter. He just looked at us like, "What, the kid ordered a diet coke, I heard him!" He said, "I thought it sounded like he said diet coke." My mom told the guy that he is only one and a half! Even after that, all throughout dinner the waiter would come and Connor would look at him and say something in a serious tone. So, we would look at the waiter and say things like, "Oh, he said he likes the pasta" and things like that. One time Connor looked at him and said, "ummm" and the guy stood there like he was ready for him to start reciting the pledge of allegiance or something! Finally, he came around again and Connor again said something to the guy. The guy looked at him and I finally said, "We really don't know for sure what he is saying." You should have seen the sigh of relief on the waiter's face! He said, "Oh, thank goodness, I was wondering why I didn't know what he was saying!" After he left we about died of laughter! I have no pictures of that, but I do have some pictures of a shirtless Connor running away from me and hiding while I am trying to get a shirt on him.
All I can think of when I see this picture is the song, "Run, run, run as fast as you can. You can't catch me, I'm the Gingerbread Man!!" This little guy is always on the go, he is as precious as can be!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Cards, Cookies, and Crazy People

Why does it seem like when you have Monday off the week seems even longer?? Throw in lots and lots of rain, several rainy day schedules on top of everything else and 4 days feels like 10. We had a crazy week of weather here in the valley of the sun, it actually has felt a little bit like "winter". I don't expect it to last long though, we should be back in shorts by the beginning of March. I kid you not. We don't know what to do with ourselves when it gets cold and rainy outside, so Travis learned a few new things this week.
On Monday we went over to visit my parents after seeing the dentist. On a side note, Travis had great teeth, no cavities. The only possible problem is that the side teeth are not coming in at all because they are at an angle. So, if they aren't in by the summer.... then we will have to visit with the orthodontist. And just when I thought things would be looking up for us in that department. Oh well. Connor's teeth look great. So far so good there. Ok. Back to my mom and dad's house. For some reason my dad had a deck of cards out so he decided to teach Travis how to build a house out of cards. Travis is now addicted to this activity! It is really good for him. I don't know what he loves more, building the houses or creating earthquakes and tornadoes to knock them down! I am just happy he has found a new talent. Grandpa also tried teaching him how to play poker, well, I guess that didn't work out too well. Back to building and destroying houses we will go!

Tonight Travis and I baked some yummy chocolate chip cookies. I said, "Travis, do you want to bake some cookies from scratch tonight?" He said, "What is scratch?" Ha ha! My poor kid thinks you just pull out a tub of cookie dough and scoop it out onto the cookie sheet and bake them. Evidently he doesn't remember all of the baking his babysitter did with him all of those years. (Sorry Amber!!) So tonight we went to town. He has learned how to crack eggs (thanks Grandpa!) and he really seems to enjoy baking and cooking in general. Next step, teach him how to read and follow the directions. I love having a little helper in the kitchen.... he even helps wash the dishes!
Here are the fruits of our labor. I decided to freeze the rest of the cookie dough for another time. Back we go to scooping out the dough and cooking it for a quick dessert.
Other than that, not much new here. My class this quarter is interesting. Can you believe my teacher actually told the class that in Russia there were tons of babies "laying around in concrete beds with nothing but a blanket. They are all mentally retarded"? You can see how much respect I have for him. That was the first night. I decided to "enlighten" him after class. I wasn't even being confrontational, I just wanted to talk to him about where he got his information. Once I told him I had adopted both of my sons from Russia he couldn't get away from me fast enough. It was like he had ants in his pants. Poor man. He has never had kids. He is married but doesn't want any. Yet he acts like he knows it all when it comes to anything, especially in the area parenting and I guess orphans from Russia. I have decided all I can do is pray for him, it keeps my hands busy so I don't strangle him. Hopefully I will make it through the next six weeks without my mugshot being on the news. Some people are so ignorant it makes me sick.
Ok, enough of that. I'm off to kiss my precious boys goodnight.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Stylish

I'm not a big fan of tattoos, but they don't really bother me either. Daryle just got one last year, but you will never see me sporting one. Those are the real ones. Then we have the fake ones that the kids love to wear. Travis has gone through spells of wearing the fake ones over the years. Yesterday he ran across a whole pack of baseball tattoos that have probably been sitting there, unwrapped, for at least one whole year. He asked me if he could put one on his cheek. Since there was no school the next day, I thought why not? He decided to put it on by himself....
Not too bad, it is sideways but other than that it turned out ok. Then, he decided he had to be balanced so he decided to put one on the other cheek. When he came out this is what the other side looked like...
I told him that was enough and to put them away. Well, I sat down to actually watch something on TV and I forgot what he was up to. Before you know it, he came out and said, "Mom, this is sooo stylish!!" with a big grin on his face. (except he pronounced it "stahlish" which was even cuter!) He even made himself a sign... he thinks he looks really cool covered in the same two tattoos all over his face and arms.
The sign says, "This is stylish"
He cracks me up. Thank goodness the dentist office was not judgemental this morning! I am hoping it doesn't take too much scrubbing to get those off before school tomorrow and that he still has some skin left on those cute cheeks of his. Funny kid. Where does he come up with this stuff?

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Getting Back to "Normal"

Normal: Returning to soccer games on Saturday mornings.Normal: Smiling Connor- Look at all of those teeth he is getting! After an upset tummy this week I think he is finally feeling back to himself.
Normal: Connor loving toys that are not his and anything that is electronic.
Normal: Brothers playing together... nicely!! (I really like this one, we hope it continues!)

Normal: Family dinners and the precious folding of little hands. Whenever we say, "Time for prayers" Connor slaps his little hands together and waits so patiently! He is such a doll!!
Well, as you can see things are slowly but surely returning back to some kind of normal around here. I don't really know what normal is anymore, but I guess this must be it! Travis had a great week back to school, so did I for that matter. I really do enjoy my class this year, I have a really good group of kids. This is the time of year where I either start counting down the days until I don't have them anymore or I get a little sad at the thought of losing them at the end of the year. This is one of those years where I am going to feel a little sad. On the other hand, I am feeling anxious because in just six short months Travis will be in Second Grade with me!! AHHHH!! I can't believe that day is almost here. Don't get confused, I will NOT have him in my class, but we will be see each other A LOT just due to location. I am excited about it, something to look forward to.

This coming week Grandpa will return to California. We have enjoyed having him around for the holidays, he has been here pretty much since Halloween. I have been spoiled with him helping me out with both boys. He has watched Connor a day here and there plus he has been picking Travis up from school and then picking up Connor for me. It has been heavenly. On Thursday we go back to our regularly scheduled program. Gosh I will miss his help!

This week I will also begin my next class, Human Development. I already took that in my undergraduate work, do I really have to take it again??? I am hoping it isn't too bad, I liked it the first time around.

I hope this is what "normal" feels like because I can handle this... I think... 2010 is just beginning!!! ;-)

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Happy New Year, 2010 Here We Come!

Happy New Year! We have been having lots of fun over the past week. Uncle Billy and "Uncle" Patti have been in town from California to ring in the new year with us. (Travis called her Uncle Patti once, so it stuck! Just some family humor.)We enjoy having them around, they love our boys and it gives them not one but TWO more adults to play with! Here are lots of pictures to show you what we have been up to.
Santa brought a tent with a tunnel for the boys, they love playing in it. I took this picture of them through the tunnel side. As I have been reflecting on the past year I realize there always is a light (or 2!) at the end of the tunnel! So many times in life I really need to remember that.
Yes, they still enjoy the computer. I am so scared just to think about what they will be doing on here in the future! lol
Connor is always on the move, it is hard to get a picture of him. But, here he is in this little sweater. This sweater brings a lot of memories for me. I bought this when we were waiting for Travis, it was over Travis' first Christmas only he was still in Blago and we hadn't even met him yet. We didn't end up going to Russia in the winter and Travis never got to wear this sweater. I kept it in his closet hoping that maybe somebody else in the family would get to wear it. Well, that time has come and I must say Connor looks pretty cute wearing it!
We all stayed up to ring in the new year, hats and all!
Uncle Billy and Patti joined in on our family fun of doing things the "old fashioned" way. (It seems like everybody likes Connor's new drum set!!)
Travis had so much fun that he broke my plastic spoon... not once but TWICE! ringing in 2010. Oh well, it was old and from the 1990's, guess it was time to retire.
Cutie pie Connor on New Year's morning.
On New Year's day night we all went to Zoolights. We hadn't been in a few years, it was awesome. The pictures don't do the lights proper justice. Here are the boys ready for their ride.
Yes, Grammy and Grandpa joined us in the fun.
Connor enjoying the lights with Billy and Patti.
Here is our family starting out 2010 together, on one continent, in one country, in one state, in one city under one roof.
Happy New Year!!
Love,
The Hawes Family