Mama's Visit

Week before last, Mama flew out to stay with me while Matt was on a business trip to the Netherlands. I don't think Matt has caught up on sleep yet, he is still falling asleep at like 8pm everynight, after losing 48 hours of sleep from travel. I am so glad that my mama could be here. The boys loved having her and so did I. I needed her to be here. I really hope my boys will one day feel how I feel about my mom with me. As I have gotten older and had kids of my own, I have had just a glimmer into the angel she really is. She just brought me instant peace and comfort, something I wouldn't have had with Matt gone on my own. I love that. She got to stay from Tuesday to Sunday and I wanted her to stay longer.

Silly, same as when Brandi came. Not a one, not even one picture was taken of us, so this one was from this summer when I visited her. The art work behind us is actually my Papa's watercolor paintings. Mama and my Uncle Rob have worked to get a collection of his artwork into this Gallery Studio Tour the first week in November in Dallas/Plano, TX area. My Papa was a great artist and jeweler. None of that talent landed in my genetic makeup. Marcie is our resident artist, and jeweler taking after our beloved Papa. Anyway, while mama was here, we took the kiddos to the zoo. It was kind of an adventure. The boys were good, but the zoo had so much construction it was a little rough to navigate, and we got our lunch just in the nick of time before they sent everyone in line packing b/c the water main broke. We did get to see tons of animals, and Colby absorbed way more than I thought he did. It was a good trip.

Colby's fav animals were the Lions and the Tigers, but I had to throw the cheetah picture in there for Auntie Marcie. We told him all about how that was his Auntie's favorite animal when she was little. The zebra was gorgeous. I just want to crop that picture and blow up the stripes for some fun project!

The only pictures we got seemed to be the backs of everyone, and mostly animal shots. Why do we do that? What do you do with a bunch of pictures of animals anyway?

Brody really did enjoy seeing all the animals but his favorite part was the petting zoo.

Colby, I think, had the most fun on all the play grounds. he loved the big rope set up like a spider web.

Brody was such a good boy. He just let me take him in and out of that stroller and waited so patiently while Colby was galavanting around. What a good boy.

I really wanted to get a cute shot of Colby coming out of this totally fun slide, but this woman was right in my shot and she kept, I am serious, posing for my shots. I have several shots of her totally smiling and hamming it up with Colby. I was so annoyed. I cut her out as best I could.

Mama and Brods taking a break in the shade.

Ahh, yes, Brody's favorite place, the petting zoo. Ummm not so much my favorite place. Goats are not let's say the cleanliest of animals. Gross, but Brody was so darn happy running from goat to goat and squealing when he got to walk right up and touch it. He was fun to watch.

We had an awesome week, and I can't wait for Mama to come again. She has always been extremely loving and attentive. I love that she just listens to me, and really listens, not just hears me. I probably talked her ear off about the things I needed to get off my chest and the things only a mom can fix. She brought the boys the sweetest little prizes and read books to Colby every night. We aren't going to make it for Thanksgiving or Christmas this year, and I am so sad. Aaron and Angela just moved into their beautiful new home in McKinney and they are going to have Christmas at their house. It would have been fun to stay with them and see the new house. We will for sure be visiting everyone in Texas early spring...at the latest I hope. Until then, I get to satisfy my longing for good ole Texas by going on a little trip to Austin with Matt. Matt has to go recruit at UT for Intel and we get to make a nice getaway out of it thanks to Mike and Taya! I am so excited to see Marcie and have some much needed sister time! Can't wait to see you Maudie! And, hopefully my Dad will be here at Thanksgiving. On Halloween he leaves on a mission trip to India. It is a medical mission and he is not sure of his roll yet, but I know it will deeply impact him. I can't wait to hear the stories and pray for his safe return. Mama, I love you, I miss you, and I am so proud of you for enduring all that you have endured! You have always taught me to hold my head up high and be positive! More soon...

My Brag Book

Years ago my Grandma Lyman (my Dad's mom) gave me this brag book. I stumbled upon it when I was at my mom's this summer, and yes that is me with Marcie (my sister). We still will never live down our hideously short boy hair cuts that my dad gave us himself (I think he secretly wanted us to be boys j/k). In the picture on the right I am rockin the chili-bowl cut! Being a kid was tough hugh? Anyhoo, it got me thinking, this blog is really my children's brag book...and mine somewhat continued into adulthood, a hopefully polite way to say look what we did, and aren't we cute...without really bragging too much. Hopefully, when my little guys are not so little anymore, they can look back it this brag book and laugh at themselves and have fond memories of their childhood too. So here's what we have been up to this month.

Colby and Matt scalped and overseeded our lawn for winter grass. We always have fun doing this believe it or not. The mowing takes a while. You have to mow it like 3 or 4 times to get the bermuda low enough to allow the seed to take.

Matt let Colby take the reins and mow the straight stretches by himself. He was thrilled, you could just see this twinkle in his eye.

Colby loves to help spread the seed and even though we end up with big clumps of dense grass from Colby dumping piles of seed in random places it doesn't matter. I love the winter grass. It is so soft to the touch, and you can roll around in it and not be itchy later. It's the perfect time to enjoy it here in AZ because the weather is just so beautiful most of the winter.

On the 10th we headed out to this place called Vertuccio Farms early in the morning. It was so fun. We had been to another pumpkin patch in Mesa the last 2 years and honestly it was pretty gross, so we checked out this place, and I am so glad we did. Colby "milked" a cow.

We rode huge sturdy tricyles, jumped in a bouncy house, drove pedal powered go carts (that were so big Matt fit), we got to look at and pet pigs, goats, a donkey, and a cow,and they had this cool pizza farm that was the shape of a pizza and each slice grew or grazed something that would make pizza.

The farm had the cutest little train made from barrels and it was painted like cows. That was super fun. Our driver was a little crazy and it was just us and one other little girl.

To top it all off we got to (partially) go through the biggest corn maze ever! You have to check it out, it was so cool. http://www.vertucciofarms.com/Corn_Maze_2009.html

We had a blast picking out our pumpkins and Colby picked the biggest pumpkin we have ever had. Colby hauled them to the car for us and we headed home. It was fantastic. So that catches you up until mid October.

Simple Joys

I had the best morning. We have finally broken our 100 degree weather and it is so beautiful out! I couldn't resist going out for a run this morning. It was 68 degrees! Who wants to be in the gym on a treadmill when you can be out in this loveliness! I jogged around Power Ranch and found some new trails, even a bridge that goes under Germann, so I can cross that crazy street without being hit! The boys had a blast playing in the new little park we found. It was just my own little bliss, and after being sick all last week and not being able to exercise, it felt awesome to get my exercise high again!

Brody has been so cute lately. I love this age! He just has the chunkiest little legs and cheeks and he is starting to say all kinds of words...it is just precious. Well this morning he reverted back to baby talk, and he was getting a kick out of himself. It reminded me of the what Colby said to me the other day in the car. Brody was fussing and I was trying to calm him down, saying something like "it's okay we're almost home...and Colby says..."He doesn't speak your words mama, he only speaks baby words like gaga and baba." Oh, Brody if only your Aunties could be here to eat this up with me!!