BUGS and Mo Bugs

Mason has been learning about Bugs at school which pairs nicely with the season. I am sure they didn't plan that curriculum it just a coincidence!

We have been finding worms when we garden and dig mug. Mason insisted one day that he carry this "sleeping" worm around until it wakes up. He and GG even made up a song about the worm going to worm heaven. He has also been storing worms in his pants, he says they tickle! I am more than disturbed by this and we are seeking counseling immediately:)

So I figured with all this bug talk we should head out to the Butterfly Pavilion to meet Rosie the Trantula!

There are some really cool insects at that place...

and they have butterflies too! Hence the name... 

And this morning we discovered a large miller moth at our doorstep.  Mason and I named him "Mo." I would say "would you like anything Mo!" and Mason would say "Can you hear those birds Mo?" and I would say "Those birds would love to eat some Mo!" 

You get it!

After ten minutes of chatter with Mo I turned my back to water the flowers and Mason got a hold of Mo...holding him by one wing and asking him "if he liked trash trucks!"

Don't worry I saved him and he is now in rehabilitation capsule so he can fly free again.

The end.

Oh except one more thing I do stand up on Friday evening from 8-9 in our living room after a few adult beverages have been consumed. I am usually the only one laughing so please come by to laugh too, I could use the self esteem boost.

ok. The end.

Testosterone

Guess who is here? For the next 6 weeks!

This guy

and his big brother!

And some strange guy sunbathing fully dressed. I think he's British.

Anyways, Keegan, Cormic, and Emily are here for part of the Summer for Emily's internship at Lockheed Martin. Cade had to stay in PA to work:( 

 Mason (and us) were so excited to see them.

And so was Grandma. 

Can you blame her with all these handsome grand boys? 

Cormic is skeptical of my dad, maybe because his dad sounds just like him? 

We had a fun Sunday night catching up. There were a few scuffles, some dirt throwing but mostly just time enjoying family we miss so much....it would have been perfect if Cade would have been here too.

blackberry crumb bars and war stories

Mason and I started our holiday weekend on Friday morning by baking some blackberry crumb bars,

http://www.marthastewart.com/316277/blackberry-crumb-bars  to take over to G and G's house. I add oatmeal to my crumb topping.

Grandpa and I sat on the deck watching Grandma and Mason make mud pies while we enjoyed a piece of the dessert and conversation. These days our conversations revolve primarily around the house but this day we talked about things Grandpa has done in his life. His career and friendships with people like Jimmy Hoffa...politics and our similar beliefs...and than the conversation turned to War. World War II and his days as an Army machine gunner. Repelling down cliffs in the middle of the night with nothing but your rope and gun and taking out the enemy. Or waking up in your trench to find that your buddy is laying dead next to you, his throat slit in the middle of the night. Wondering why God took him and not you?  He shared some fairly disturbing stories with me. The gore didn't affect me. It was sitting there looking at this man who has done so much in his lifetime and still after 67 years he thinks about the affects of war EVERYDAY! The friends who didn't come back and the ones that did.  He left as an innocent 20 year old guy on a ship across the Atlantic and came back forever changed.

It definitely put a spin on my thoughts this memorial day. Gratitude is not a strong enough emotion.

A lesson in fleeing

Most of you that read our blog our my friends on facebook so this is news you already know.

Friday evening Matt, Mason, and I ventured out to the mall to find something for Matt and I to wear out Saturday night for Angela's birthday. We never go out, therefore our wardrobe is out of date and my mommy outfit of yoga pants just wouldn't cut it.

ANYWAYS....

Mason has a problem listening when we are in public and to add to it, when we tell him to stop or come back he turns it into a game of chase.....

well this time Matt went to grab him and he turned around and ran full force into a low lying wood shelf...his face burst open. I heard the cry and Matt said "This is bad!" I couldn't see the blood yet and was thinking concussion. When he turned his head it was obvious we were heading to the doctor.

While we were driving to the nearest hospital I called our Pediatrician to see if we could take him to the Children's Hospital Urgent Care at Lutheran...he said '"yes" and notified them. Mason was not hysterical just shocked and asking "if we could go home now." Matt and I were handling it in stride as well. I get this trait from my mom, in emergency's this calmness comes over me and all I can see is the solution. I thank God for that because I could easily have lost it....

Children's Urgent Care is great. They had games, Popsicles, and a list of kids DVD's. If you have ever done an actual ER visit you know how painful that could be with a kid. 

 We took Mason to this same urgent care once before when he had the flu, (probably H1N1) and I was glad we knew about it.

They placed a bandage and numbing gel on his cut for about a half hour and gave him some ibuprofen.

When the nurses and doctors came back in we decided to do stitches. We gave his "ouie a bath" and got the "magic thread" out. We decided to "burrito wrap" Mason because he is a fighter...this is basically a straight jacket using a sheet. Not my favorite moment of being a mom.

I held his hand and Matt held his feet while the brave doctor put three stitches in a wiggly and shocked two year old. If you have ever watched stitches going in than you know its amazing hand work, a little different when its your scared two year old.

As soon as the whole thing was over Mason asked if "we could go back to the mall and get fries?"

He doesn't really skip a beat...but lets hope this will help him start listening a little more. I think he will have a scar as a reminder.

We get the stitches out Thursday so that should be fun!

Creekside and Mother's day weekend

We celebrated Mother's day with my parents on Friday evening in Golden.

with drinks flowing and spring like weather, we truly enjoyed our evening.

There are no words to describe the love and respect I have for my parents.

and how it warms your heart to see them as grandparents...they are such kids at heart!

We all enjoyed the aroma of lilacs as we strolled along, Mason would say "smells good!"

spoiled with love

we had a lot of stick throwing this evening...Papa would supply the stick and Mason would throw it!

Daddy helped too!

The bridge over Clear Creek

My beautiful mother, there could be no other than you.

The rest of the weekend we spent doing yard work and getting some sun. Just what I wanted.

I woke Sunday morning to a Starbucks, Huevos Rancheros, and CBS Sunday Morning. Pure bliss.

But the best part was Mason telling me "Happy mother's day I love you!"

The best gift god has given me....is being a mom.

Watering the trees

I am going to get around to posting our Mother's day weekend pictures but until than...

I am not really sure how this potty training thing is going to work? Mason is about 10% interested. He is almost 2.5 and I get a bit of judgement from other Moms because of that...which to be honest I really do not care what other Moms think:) If I have learned one thing in my short time of being a parent  it is that "what works for your family may not work for mine so lets support each other instead of judge!"

Can I get a "AMEN SISTA?"

I do know that my son is STUBBORN and if we push one thing he pulls the other way. So we are just easing into this and I am not really worrying about if he is potty trained by a certain age.

 I am certain he will not go to college in diapers so that should help his dating life.

My mom suggested "having him water the trees so they will grow."

This seems to be something boys enjoy so we are giving it a try....

Happy Monday

Genes

When I was a little girl I had a lot of stuffed animals. I lined them up every night on my floor in order. I kept a notebook with a date next to the name of each animal, that way each of them would get a turn sleeping with me. I also counted everything in my head, steps I took, clouds I saw that day, crayons I used ect and kept track in this same notebook. The counting of Santa's cookies on the christmas eve plate than added to the jar the next morning was a give away to the truths my parents had been hiding.

I was and am weird.

This guy has more OCD characteristics than I wish to discuss! (who do you think Mason looks like???)

SO when I came outside on Saturday evening to see Mason had done this with his cars, I knew he was not exempt from that gene...that gene that says "you might be an engineer." 

and than I saw this and thought  

please don't let him become an architect....

our worlds would collide!