the cookie bandit

hopefully this cookie bandit won't quit his day job.

a secret room?? what??

I went to use the restroom tonight and told Mason that I was tired of not having any toilet paper because he kept using it all to make costumes.  (this has been an issue for awhile)  He informed me that he had a lot of toilet paper in his secret room.  Lots and lots of toilet paper and food  ... and toys.  I'm really hoping he isn't talking about his new spot to play, which much to my chagrin in under the stairs.  This needs to be investigated quickly :)

"in all seriousness mommy"

The other day I was playing with Zach and Mason while sitting on the couch.  Mason was on my lap and I was tickling him and pretending to chomp him, while Zach would run towards me, get tickled and run away.  While I was tickling Mason, Zach came over and picked up Mason's foot like it was a hamburger and took a bite and then did a chomping sound.  Laughing I told Zach that he was a little naughty and that we couldn't bite our brothers.  Taking me completely serious, Mason looks at me and says in a very "I told you so" tone ... "Mommy I told you we should not have buy'd this baby from the doctor"  I'm sure one of these days Mason is going to be happy that he has a little brother, but it hasn't quite happened yet. :)  The worst part of it all is that Mason is Zach's absolute favorite person and I can not keep him from mauling Mason with love. (yes, love includes bites)

Zach - isms

   I've never had a child just like Zach.  A child that you don't know if you should discipline him for biting his brothers because he was laughing as he did it. A child that you think is 2 ft. taller than he is because 90% of the time you see him he is standing on something.  Or a child that will look you in the eyes and have a 10 minute conversation with you in gibberish. 
   You, Zachary, are my only child to take your diaper off any time you don't have pants on to cover it.  You gave up your bottle on your own when it was no longer meeting your needs. You love nibbling on any feet or toes that are hanging off the couch. You think everything is a sword and that everyone is waiting to sword fight you if you give them the same thing you're holding (ex. spoons from the silverware drawer).  You put EVERYTHING in the microwave ... one time we couldn't find the peanut butter anywhere until the next day when we opened up the microwave and discovered it's hiding spot. Any time we get in the car you will run back and climb up in Ethan's car seat and pull the seat belt over you hoping we won't move you. You love to be outside and to go on walks with us. You have never needed to find a spot in the family, you have always just known you had one. You are unique my sweet happy (busy and sometimes very naughty) baby boy!
   Zach you are such a talker, some of his current words are:
Airplane, socks, shoes, what (if you say Zachary, he will turn around and very sweetly if not a little sassy say what), Bye Guys, woof woof, moon, mason, ethan, ma ma, da da, open it, apple juice, etc. etc.  I'm sure I'm missing most of his words because he says just about everything. 

Yes mommy, I did just open the hot chocolate mix and  it was Yummy!

My favorite food is always on someone else's plate

I love shoes!!  they don't even have to match :)

Possibly my most favorite thing of all is my brothers!!  if only they felt the same way about me :)

Field Trip to the Nature Preserve in Ogden

I'm so excited my mom got to come on this field trip with me!! right now we're looking at raptors

Ethan and I went to the nature preserve today for a field trip and it was surprisingly fun!!  

The whole class fits in this "actual sized" Bald Eagles nest

Ethan got to get the paper chum out of the container 

Making paper takes serious concentration- I couldn't even look up at my mom because every time I tried I would tilt the paper tray:)

Getting all the water out of the paper with a sponge

Everyone looking at the snake

All of our cute neighbor kids in Ethan's class

Playing games - Ethan's team had to make the rain sound

"Hey everyone, a beaver ate this tree"

could I become a minimalist?

ok, to start off I'll admit that I am a borderline hoarder.
(if I wanted to point fingers it could have been created in childhood - living with a mother who was a compulsive organizer while I was a sentimentalist was not easy.  ex. crying under the computer desk holding a piece of ugly wallpaper from my bedroom that my mother was updating with wallpaper of my choosing, or my favorite shoes being thrown away because I wouldn't stop wearing them even though they were cracked on the bottom)
(back to present day)
I buy a lot of stuff and then buy a lot more because I can't find that stuff ... keeping my house clean is beyond difficult, which is why I am considering (shuddering as I say this) becoming a minimalist.  I see some problems with this idea however such as: 1) Minimalists don't shop  2) I would have to throw away a lot of stuff that I've collected over the years and deem essential.  I mean what if I need that sifter one day or those electric knives (I haven't used either in the 10 years that I've been married, but it could happen) 
as I'm writing this I'm not sure this is even possible ... is there such thing as a wanna be minimalist or a vegetarian vs. vegan minimalist?  can I just put all the items that I'm thinking about throwing away in a storage closet?  I'll have to investigate this a little further before I make any decisions.

funny

My son mason informed me today that he did not want to go feed the ducks because then we wouldn't have enough bread for toast :)