SNAKE!!!

I found the World's Longest Gummie Snake at the the market! 

I just knew that the coolest boys in the world would love it as a suprise! 

They totally did!

Look how great they are sharing!  YEA!!

"Here it goes again"

The kids and I woke up this morning to a chill in the house... summer in Oregon is over.  It went so quickly, and it was so late getting here, that I feel cheated! 
I don't long for the hot weather, being the well rounded person that I am, heat and I aren't dear friends.  I do hate to lose all the beautiful sun shine, and I will miss the dry green of summer.
Its Oregon, we tend to be green year round, but the winter green is squishy, mossy, and muddy.
Along with the season change comes the a new school year, today is my first day back on campus, I am so nervous and anxious to get through this term.  I was up all night with Micah, he was working and I was trying to distract myself with some On Demand (I heart SUITS).  I've never worried so much about a new term, but this term I will be repeating Anatomy and Physiology 231 (its the first in a series of 3) I passed it in  the spring, but the C I fought so hard to get did not feel like a job well done.
Lets be honest, I was a terrible student in High School, and an even worse college student before I got married.  When Mic and I married and he convinced me I could do school and that I was smart enough, I chose hair (I don't regret it at all) and I am pretty darn good at it.  (especially now that I get so much practice) 
Doing hair speaks to my soul, I love just about every aspect of my field, but I especially love being with people and having so many different kinds of people to interact with.  I am so excited to go to work everyday because my day will never be the same... I never know who I will meet or how they will change my perspective on life.
The one bad thing about hair is that financially if something happened to Mic I could not take care of my family on what I make doing hair.  I worry about providing for my children if the worst happens (I swear I'm not planning a hostile take over).  
So I took sometime and examined what I like most about doing hair, the people.  Then I looked at the fields that are going to be in the highest demand over the next decade (health care, duh)... its easy to see why nursing would be another career that I would be completely content doing. 
Unfortunately, getting into the program will take nothing less than an act of the gods. Its a goal, I constantly plug away at, and hopefully this term will go smoothly (like a hot knife through butter)
So I have anxiety over all the things that don't matter right this second and I cry (a lot) and then I buckle down and get it done (hopefully). 

Wish me luck!  (I feel like playing a little OK GO)

No camera's please

Someone is practicing for his future in the spotlight... 

No pictures please



So comes the fall...

I love the leaves, but they are here to soon.

He is so happy in that dirty pile of leaves...  I heart little boys

Are you Duck enough?

We made it to the Duck game, it was a blast!  This is the 2nd year in a row we have made it to the first home game of the season!  We sat in the end zone and had the duck to entertain us the entire time.  I get such a kick watching him and the cheerleaders!  We went w/ a dear friend from Moss Adams, and it was a blast just being there and enjoying the win!!

 This is my husband, due to conflicting schedules we have barely seen each other over the past 2 weeks... it was nice to have some time together!

 This is what happens when they review plays (I get a little bored)

Poor duck did alot of push ups!

We made the boys grilled cheese when we got home, I love that both their feet are up on the table (we don't believe in table manners, apparently?)

 I was making funny faces at Miles... but I am so red and it only getting worse!!

Mic turned on ESPN and Miles climbed into his lap to sit and watch

CoOkiES aRe...

NOT...

 a breakfast food!

This baby keeps me hoppin! 

Its a good thing he is so dang sassy, I can't resist his stubborn streak!  (I have always had a soft spot for bad boys)

Face stick and other stick uses

Mason got into my lipstick and well in his words ...  SOOOOO PWEETTTTYY, NNNNKKK  mama?

 Yup, so pretty!

Mason found a stick (pipe) in the misc. pile and he is demonstrating the many uses for it.   ie why I shouldn't throw it away.

like leading a song (or as weapon)

 Pretending to be a pirate

A stool... nope not a stool

He tried that once and apparently once is all it took.  (poor kid)

Movin on up!

The time has come my little friends

To talk of other things

Of shoes and ships and sealing wax ...

WE MOVED!! 

 No more tiny dead end kitchen

 No more built in closet space (I will miss this)

 No more horrible outdoor space with the neighbor dog's doo doo all over the place

No more chasing the boys up the stairs everymorning... and  no more dangerous parking lot! 

I won't lie, it broke my heart to say good bye to the only home the boys have ever known.  Apt 286 was the first home we have ever made for ourselves.  Alot of firsts happened there and saying farwell was aweful!  Micah and I suck at change, we struggle with the new (thats why its taken us so long to move)

The park

Micah and I have some seriously busy schedules (ok mine is just erratic, but still I feel busy)  We are 2 ships exchanging cargo and then moving on.  The kids being the resilant monkeys they are have handled the whole thing like troopers (they are so tickled with more one on one daddy time, they don't notice I'm gone!)  We have tried to meet on at fun places for the exchange... like the park!


I took the kids last week and finally remembered to take some pics

 Lots of yummy fries

equal a happy boy!

I think i missed one

Just give me a sec... I'll get it

Mason's a little greedy with those fries...  poor Miles had a little fall and his nose stopped caught the brunt, our first bloody nose (I am sure we have lots more coming our way)

Once lunch was over, I was to busy chasing after the boys to take pics... I am sure you have a mental picture of our crazy chaotic boys!

Aquarium!!

We took the kids to the Aquarium in Newport last weekend.  We've decided to try and do lots of practice runs before we head to Disneyland (I think we are going in the next year, it all depends on the kids)  They are doing so good when we go out in public, baby steps for my boys!

Any who, the aquarium was a blast!  The boys explored and ran crazy over the whole place and it was perfect for 2 very active and crazy babies!

We made it!

He decided he wanted to get down and play too

They had a gator burrow for the kids to explore... can we say best 20 mins!

Miles didn't want to put down his drink to poise with Mase on the drift would sculptures... can't say I blamed him!  It was nice and warm outside!

The walrus...I have a very blurry pic of him kissing it!  YUCK, germs!!

This was at the end, and by far my fav!  It was a serious of underwater tunnels, we love fish!!!

The story of our lives, self pics that cut off parts of our faces (this was a better one, I found something to stand on!)

On a side not... I promise after we move I will figure out the whole camera issue.

Mason is like an onion... he has many layers

With Mase what you see is not always what you get

I asked him if I could have one of MY fries... thats a negative mama

 Pretty sure he wasn't mad, it was just that Clinger look he gets sometimes....

The aquarium was a hit... leaving the aquarium not so much

I have had 8AM training for work the past couple of days... I took Mase to care this morning in his PJs and he was not thrilled, when he woke up at school in his Jams.  He wouldn't let me put him down, so we sat and had a talk.  He kept saying "mama shoes, SHOES!!"  I helped him dress and put on those shoes, as soon as the laces were tied he jumped off my lap, led me to the door by the hand,  pushed me onto the porch, open his arms for a hug and puckered for a kiss (which he always rubs off) and shut the door in my face.  It was closer to a slam, but shut seems nicer and less intentional.  If only all of life's stresses could be fixed with a change of clothes and tied laces... if you ask my mom she will see a new outfit makes everything better. 

Dang I love this kid!

My little slice of heaven

This little man keeps us hopping!  Thank goodness we love to hop!

A time to mourn

No, our family has not suffered a loss, well a least not directly.  Today my clients were amazing people, who reminded me of all that I have and how very precious each day is. 

One of my first clients of the day was a woman in her late 60s who had this amazing love story about her sweet husband. They met when she was 13 started dating when she was 15 and married when she was 19... they had been married for 47 years.  She had just brought her husband homeand told she has 30 days to say good bye... I cried, I really just bawled.

Later I had an older mid 50s sassy grandma sit in my chair and during our time together she talked about a trip she and her widowed daughter in law were taking in a few days that would suprise her 10 yr old grandson, to disneyland!  She said that she was a 3 time cancer survivor, and she had an appointment for monday about a new lump... she calmly told me she would fight to the end, of course, for her grandson... who had recently lost his father, her son, and had clung to her through his grief.   I just put the tissues at my station!

Later I had a Military man, who was preparing to leave on another tour, and his wife was due in several months.

A father brought in his son, who he hadn't seen in 3 months, he came to oregon for a job, but is from Az.  Due to the market they can't sell there home, and refuse to turn it over to the bank, so they only see each other every 90 days when he builds up enough time to take off.  His son was 8 and his mirror image and very best friend, they made a pact to only cut there hair when they are together.  UGH!!

My very last client of the day sent me home in hysterics.  Nice, normal looking guy, who had hopped a flight last week when he and his wife had recieved a call that there 19 year old son had been in an accident.  As of this evening they were unsure of whether he would make it.  Every day a baby step towards the unknown.

I am grateful for my sweet family and tonight I am treasuring them now.  I understand that life is a cycle, we are all born to die.  I don't know what comes next, nore will I live my life in hopes of that.  I embrace the now, because the now is real, and tangible. 

Daycare

We have the best daycare.  I never have had to worry about the boys during the day because I know that no matter what they are doing they are being showered with love, and attention.

There days are so full...  Legos

 Reading

 Water games

 Art projects

 Lots of outside playtime

 Walks with best buds

The adorable little gilr in the sunglasses tells Mase constantly that she loves him, and she calls me mama when I pick up the kids... future DIL, who knows!

Gampa... Gampa

We were so lucky to have my dad come for a visit during Mason's Birthday! My dad spoiled the boys with attention and love that only a devoted gee-pa can give. We went to the coast, a movie, and Chuck. E. Cheese... it was a very crazy and fun weekend.

 Miles and Grandpa

 Mason and G-pa

 The BEACH!!!

 Chuck EEEEE Cheese

My guys!  I love them so mucho!