A few weeks ago when we were in Toledo, we stopped to see our friends the Wagners. They had recently returned from a visit to Disney, and they brought the boys some wonderful gifts.
One of the gifts the gave the boys is the Mickey Mouse version of The Prince and the Pauper.
Jackson is absolutely infatuated with this book. He insists we read it every night.
We had only read it a few times, and he began picking up on things. He has to count the ice cream cones on the first page each time we read it, and he gets so excited when it gets to the part where Pauper Mickey meets the Prince - "2 Mickey's! Look Mommy - 2 Mickey's".
Last night, he was pretending to read the book...including the note that the Wagners put on the inside cover! The note says something about To Lincoln and Jackson - hope you enjoy discovering the magic of Disney, or something like that. I don't remember exactly what Jackson said, but it was something like "Hope Jackson enjoys this story about Mickey". It was totally adorable. I'll have to pay closer attention next time!
Our Family
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
My friendly child...
I told you all about our trip to the park on Sunday earlier this week. But I forgot one thing until something reminded me the other night....
Sunday, Lincoln was walking beside me. A woman was walking the trail coming toward us, and all of a sudden, Lincoln started waving at her like crazy! He acted like he knew her! I was just surprised, as up to that point, he had been very quiet when we passed people, unless they had "pup-pups". The lady thought it was cute, and he didn't do it to anyone else that day.
Monday night however, we were in the living room relaxing a bit before bedtime. Lincoln was drawn to the patio door for some reason, and was watching everything going on outside. Suddenly, he began waving again - as if he saw someone he knew! It was someone walking a dog, and he was trying to say hi, not understanding that they weren't looking for him, and probably didn't see him. But he sure got excited waving and saying hello to the people walking!
Sunday, Lincoln was walking beside me. A woman was walking the trail coming toward us, and all of a sudden, Lincoln started waving at her like crazy! He acted like he knew her! I was just surprised, as up to that point, he had been very quiet when we passed people, unless they had "pup-pups". The lady thought it was cute, and he didn't do it to anyone else that day.
Monday night however, we were in the living room relaxing a bit before bedtime. Lincoln was drawn to the patio door for some reason, and was watching everything going on outside. Suddenly, he began waving again - as if he saw someone he knew! It was someone walking a dog, and he was trying to say hi, not understanding that they weren't looking for him, and probably didn't see him. But he sure got excited waving and saying hello to the people walking!
Special dates
I'm not sure how, but I completely forgot to post special dates for May! I hope everyone knows they were thought of!
Birthdays celebrated in May:
• Aunt Lisa Haas turned 45 on the 6th
• Eli Hart turned 3 on the 9th
• Uncle Ralph Gels turned 68 on the 12th and Aunt Lorae Gels turned 67
• Grandma Janice Hart would have been 65 on the 17th; and Aunt Janet Gels turned 64
• cousin Taylor Zank turned 21 on the 20th
• Brian's Goddaughter Ashley turned 5 on the 21st
• Uncle Rodney Muehlfeld turned 42 on the 24th
• Alyssa Maier turned 13 on the 27th
• cousin Chad Muehlfeld turned 34 on the 29th, and Davis Brown turned 18
Anniversaries celebrated in May:
• Nate and Jess Wappes celebrated their 4th anniversary on the 17th
• Jay and Tracy Wagner celebrated their anniversary on the 21st
• Matt and Jennifer Schug celebrated their 16th anniversary on the 25th
Upcoming June celebrations:
Birthdays:
• June 3 - Parker Muehlfeld turns 3
• June 9 - Eli Burkholer turns 25
• June 18 - Grandma Emmie turns 84
• June 21 - Seth O'Connor turns 6
• June 22 - Uncle Ken Gels turns 81 and Aunt Lois Ann Brunswich turns 78
• June 23 - Brian turns 42
• June 25 - Grandpa Joe Hart would have turned 68
• June 30 - Brody Wyldes turns 3
Anniversaries:
• June 2 - Dave and Ruth Wappes celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary
• June 4 - Clifford and Shirley Simon celebrate their 22nd wedding anniversary; Steve and Jennifer Ginter celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary
• June 8 - Jerry and Lisa Haas celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary
• June 11 - Jason and Maria Hart celebrate their 7th wedding anniversary
• June 14 - Wes and Jen Maier celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary
• June 26 - Derek and Marcy Wyldes celebrate their 8th wedding annivesary
Other dates to note:
Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads/grandpas' out there on June 17th.
Best Wishes to Lori Hart and Tyler Lentz on their marriage on June 23rd!
Birthdays celebrated in May:
• Aunt Lisa Haas turned 45 on the 6th
• Eli Hart turned 3 on the 9th
• Uncle Ralph Gels turned 68 on the 12th and Aunt Lorae Gels turned 67
• Grandma Janice Hart would have been 65 on the 17th; and Aunt Janet Gels turned 64
• cousin Taylor Zank turned 21 on the 20th
• Brian's Goddaughter Ashley turned 5 on the 21st
• Uncle Rodney Muehlfeld turned 42 on the 24th
• Alyssa Maier turned 13 on the 27th
• cousin Chad Muehlfeld turned 34 on the 29th, and Davis Brown turned 18
Anniversaries celebrated in May:
• Nate and Jess Wappes celebrated their 4th anniversary on the 17th
• Jay and Tracy Wagner celebrated their anniversary on the 21st
• Matt and Jennifer Schug celebrated their 16th anniversary on the 25th
Upcoming June celebrations:
Birthdays:
• June 3 - Parker Muehlfeld turns 3
• June 9 - Eli Burkholer turns 25
• June 18 - Grandma Emmie turns 84
• June 21 - Seth O'Connor turns 6
• June 22 - Uncle Ken Gels turns 81 and Aunt Lois Ann Brunswich turns 78
• June 23 - Brian turns 42
• June 25 - Grandpa Joe Hart would have turned 68
• June 30 - Brody Wyldes turns 3
Anniversaries:
• June 2 - Dave and Ruth Wappes celebrate their 39th wedding anniversary
• June 4 - Clifford and Shirley Simon celebrate their 22nd wedding anniversary; Steve and Jennifer Ginter celebrate their 18th wedding anniversary
• June 8 - Jerry and Lisa Haas celebrate their 21st wedding anniversary
• June 11 - Jason and Maria Hart celebrate their 7th wedding anniversary
• June 14 - Wes and Jen Maier celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary
• June 26 - Derek and Marcy Wyldes celebrate their 8th wedding annivesary
Other dates to note:
Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads/grandpas' out there on June 17th.
Best Wishes to Lori Hart and Tyler Lentz on their marriage on June 23rd!
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Bad mommy....
I tend to think that I am a pretty observant parent. I notice when the boys are eating more than usual, or when they consistently refuse to eat certain foods. I notice scratches and scrapes that they get from playing at daycare. And most days, I can even tell you what clothes I put on them for the day.
Evidently, I fell down on the job the past few weeks.
We played "dentist" last night after baths, which means Mommy inspects the boys teeth after they brush them. Jackson went first, and he giggled when I brushed his teeth because it tickles his gums. When I was brushing Lincoln's teeth, something looked a little odd to me. It even took a few seconds for me to realize what it was. He has two teeth behind his i-teeth on the bottom!
I guess sometime in the past few weeks, both of his bottom 2 year molars came through - and I didn't even notice. What kind of mom am I????
Evidently, I fell down on the job the past few weeks.
We played "dentist" last night after baths, which means Mommy inspects the boys teeth after they brush them. Jackson went first, and he giggled when I brushed his teeth because it tickles his gums. When I was brushing Lincoln's teeth, something looked a little odd to me. It even took a few seconds for me to realize what it was. He has two teeth behind his i-teeth on the bottom!
I guess sometime in the past few weeks, both of his bottom 2 year molars came through - and I didn't even notice. What kind of mom am I????
Keeping me laughing...
I am confident that I will never need to worry about laughter lacking in our house.
Last night after dinner and before baths, the boys were playing in the room. Brian sat down on the floor to play with them, and the next thing I knew they were both fighting for "Daddy Rides" - which meant BOTH of the boys were trying to crawl up on Brian's back at the same time, with Brian down on his hands and knees. They have done this before. But last night, Lincoln got pretty good position on Brian's back, and Jackson crawled on top of Lincoln! That was funny enough, but it got even better when BOTH the boys then went sliding off the one side of Brian's back. After breathing a sigh of relief that no one went through the patio door, I heard Jackson exclaim "I LOVE that!" and he was back trying to climb on top of Brian's back again.
Brian and I both burst out laughing, which then made the boys laugh too. Laughter means we have happy boys, and that makes me the richest Mommy in the world!
Last night after dinner and before baths, the boys were playing in the room. Brian sat down on the floor to play with them, and the next thing I knew they were both fighting for "Daddy Rides" - which meant BOTH of the boys were trying to crawl up on Brian's back at the same time, with Brian down on his hands and knees. They have done this before. But last night, Lincoln got pretty good position on Brian's back, and Jackson crawled on top of Lincoln! That was funny enough, but it got even better when BOTH the boys then went sliding off the one side of Brian's back. After breathing a sigh of relief that no one went through the patio door, I heard Jackson exclaim "I LOVE that!" and he was back trying to climb on top of Brian's back again.
Brian and I both burst out laughing, which then made the boys laugh too. Laughter means we have happy boys, and that makes me the richest Mommy in the world!
Beautiful weekend
This past weekend was one of our most productive yet enjoyable weekends this year.
We started off the weekend in true summer style - grilling. We grilled chicken breasts, zucchini, mushrooms, and the best - my new favorite fruit pineapple!
The boys went to bed at their usual time shortly after 8, and Brian and I curled up on the couch to watch a movie. About 20 minutes in, Brian was asleep, but I enjoyed the movie.
Saturday morning, the boys were up bright and early, just before six. Since Brian got some extra rest the night before, he got up with the boys. I slept for a little longer, and when I got up I was very happy to find Brian had tidied up a bit, and had some laundry started. The boys were finished with breakfast too! Brian took the boys to run a few errands, and it was pure heaven! I was able to get some things put away around the house, and start cleaning without two little distractions. By the end of the day, the house was nearly all cleaned, and Brian (hopefully) fixed the evespouting and drain pipe that keeps flooding our basement.
Sunday however was the best day of all.
Lincoln woke up around 5:20 Sunday morning. Brian went and got him out of his bed, but Jackson started fussing. So, Brian sent Lincoln to our room. He crawled in bed with me, and cuddled - not for long, but long enough. He giggled, and wanted me to "play tent" (pull the covers up over our heads), and I loved those few special moments with him. Brian and Jackson followed shortly, and we all snuggled in our bed together. We decided the night before that if the boys were up early again, we'd just get around and go to church at 7:30. So, that's exactly what we did.
The boys weren't great in church, but they weren't terrible either. Some fellow parishioners were surprised to hear such little voices say "Look Mommy - it's Jesus! See him up there?", but it makes me proud.
After church, we headed to the grocery store. The boys were really good, and I still love seeing how excited they get when they see the fishies and lobsters.
After the store, we went home to put the groceries away. We packed a lunch, and headed off to the park for a picnic and wagon ride. It was a perfect day. We found a sunny spot on top of a hill to spread our blanket out and have our picnic. The boys were fascinated with the butterflies and the airplanes flying overhead. We finished our lunch, and hit the trail.
The trail around Sharon Woods is about 2 1/2 miles long. We figured the boys would walk to begin with, then get tired and graciously sit in the wagon and enjoy being pulled the remainder of the way. Boy were we wrong! Jackson walked the whole time, and even pulled or pushed the wagon almost the whole way. Lincoln walked quite a bit, but got scared when he could see the majority of the lake. He really didn't like the idea of THAT much water! So, he alternated his time between walking, asking Mommy to carry him, fighting with Jackson over pulling the wagon, and riding piggy-back with Mommy.
As challenging as our walk was at times, there were other times that were perfection. My boys continue to amaze me with the innocence of young boys, and the crazy things they come up with.
After our nap, I snuck out to run a few errands. The boys needed more shorts for the summer, and I had a few baby gifts I needed. I enjoyed the time out alone, but didn't dawdle too much. I miss my boys when I am away from them.
The rest of the evening was usual - I made a nice dinner, gave the boys a bath, and we read books before putting them to bed. Later that night, my husband was a peach and washed the dishes while I prepared dinner for Monday night. I don't think Brian will ever know how much I appreciated his help with those dishes!
If only every day could be like that - spending time outdoors with the three most important guys in my life. It just doesn't get any better than that.
We started off the weekend in true summer style - grilling. We grilled chicken breasts, zucchini, mushrooms, and the best - my new favorite fruit pineapple!
The boys went to bed at their usual time shortly after 8, and Brian and I curled up on the couch to watch a movie. About 20 minutes in, Brian was asleep, but I enjoyed the movie.
Saturday morning, the boys were up bright and early, just before six. Since Brian got some extra rest the night before, he got up with the boys. I slept for a little longer, and when I got up I was very happy to find Brian had tidied up a bit, and had some laundry started. The boys were finished with breakfast too! Brian took the boys to run a few errands, and it was pure heaven! I was able to get some things put away around the house, and start cleaning without two little distractions. By the end of the day, the house was nearly all cleaned, and Brian (hopefully) fixed the evespouting and drain pipe that keeps flooding our basement.
Sunday however was the best day of all.
Lincoln woke up around 5:20 Sunday morning. Brian went and got him out of his bed, but Jackson started fussing. So, Brian sent Lincoln to our room. He crawled in bed with me, and cuddled - not for long, but long enough. He giggled, and wanted me to "play tent" (pull the covers up over our heads), and I loved those few special moments with him. Brian and Jackson followed shortly, and we all snuggled in our bed together. We decided the night before that if the boys were up early again, we'd just get around and go to church at 7:30. So, that's exactly what we did.
The boys weren't great in church, but they weren't terrible either. Some fellow parishioners were surprised to hear such little voices say "Look Mommy - it's Jesus! See him up there?", but it makes me proud.
After church, we headed to the grocery store. The boys were really good, and I still love seeing how excited they get when they see the fishies and lobsters.
After the store, we went home to put the groceries away. We packed a lunch, and headed off to the park for a picnic and wagon ride. It was a perfect day. We found a sunny spot on top of a hill to spread our blanket out and have our picnic. The boys were fascinated with the butterflies and the airplanes flying overhead. We finished our lunch, and hit the trail.
The trail around Sharon Woods is about 2 1/2 miles long. We figured the boys would walk to begin with, then get tired and graciously sit in the wagon and enjoy being pulled the remainder of the way. Boy were we wrong! Jackson walked the whole time, and even pulled or pushed the wagon almost the whole way. Lincoln walked quite a bit, but got scared when he could see the majority of the lake. He really didn't like the idea of THAT much water! So, he alternated his time between walking, asking Mommy to carry him, fighting with Jackson over pulling the wagon, and riding piggy-back with Mommy.
As challenging as our walk was at times, there were other times that were perfection. My boys continue to amaze me with the innocence of young boys, and the crazy things they come up with.
- Shade - as an adult, we understand that trees are tall, and they provide protection from the sun. I never considered how a child sees it. As we walked along, I noticed Lincoln saying "Dark Mommy", then he would say "Light on. Light off." He was noticing how the sun was shining down on us at times, but then it was gone and "dark" at other times. I loved how he associated it with a light switch.
- Uninhibited joy - the trail around Sharon Woods is hilly. Jackson loved pulling the wagon, and he wasn't intimidated by the hills at all. He pulled the wagon up some of the steepest hills there without help, and insisted on pulling it down the other side too. Going down hill is actually more challenging, as the wagon would get going so fast, and Jackson's little legs were a peddling away. He was practically running to stay ahead of the wagon - laughing and smiling the whole time. He didn't have a care in the world, while Brian and I were imagining the wagon running him down, and praying he didn't lose any teeth, and the blood was minimal.
- More water - like the shade, Lincoln didn't quite understand the concept of the lake, and how we could see it, then it was gone, then we would see it again. I can't even tell you how many times I heard "more water" or "another water". He thought that every time he saw water, it was a different body of water!
- Determination - I've said for a long time that Jackson looks like his daddy. It's really hard for me to see anything that resembles me in that little face. But yesterday, I saw qualities that our little man definitely got from me. Jackson decided he wanted to push the wagon instead of pulling it - but he didn't want anyone to pull it. Brian told him over and over that it wouldn't work. Jackson simply kept telling him "I can do it Daddy." And sure enough, he did. He figured out how to push the wagon, and keep it going in the right direction without anyone pulling it. I pity anyone who tries to tell this little boy that he can't do something, or that something can't be done, because he will be determined to find a way to prove them wrong!
After our nap, I snuck out to run a few errands. The boys needed more shorts for the summer, and I had a few baby gifts I needed. I enjoyed the time out alone, but didn't dawdle too much. I miss my boys when I am away from them.
The rest of the evening was usual - I made a nice dinner, gave the boys a bath, and we read books before putting them to bed. Later that night, my husband was a peach and washed the dishes while I prepared dinner for Monday night. I don't think Brian will ever know how much I appreciated his help with those dishes!
If only every day could be like that - spending time outdoors with the three most important guys in my life. It just doesn't get any better than that.
KA-BOOM!
Recently, we've been working with the boys to get them to tell people their names. They were getting really good at telling us their first names when we asked them, so I thought we would start working on last name too. For me, it's a safety thing. If they would ever get lost, if they can tell someone their first and last name, it helps. We were driving home from daycare one night when I first asked them what their last name was. Both the boys seemed a bit confused at first, but Brian told them "It's Hart. Lincoln Hart and Jackson Hart."
I heard Jackson say "Jackson Hart. KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM." I was driving so I couldn't see him, but Brian was laughing. Brian then explained that Jackson had his hand on his chest, and when he said "KA-BOOM", he was patting his chest. Evidently, they have learned in school that their "heart" is in their chest, and it beats "KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM."
I heard Jackson say "Jackson Hart. KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM." I was driving so I couldn't see him, but Brian was laughing. Brian then explained that Jackson had his hand on his chest, and when he said "KA-BOOM", he was patting his chest. Evidently, they have learned in school that their "heart" is in their chest, and it beats "KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM. KA-BOOM."
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