Losing teeth

Trevor has lost two teeth already!
I couldn't even watch him wiggle the first one without feeling a bit nauseated.  It brought back the fear of that final pull when I was just 5 or 6.  Even though I wanted it pulled by my Dad,  the fear of the pain overcame me and I would run away in a panic.
Not so with this guy and I'm so glad. 
Last night we let them watch that popular video on youtube with the kid who gets his tooth pulled out by a rocket.  I think it's genius and it made it look pretty easy and maybe fun, but it was not comforting AT ALL to the boys.
Joel came in later pleading, "Don't get a rocket for Trevor, Mom.  We don't want a rocket."  He was very concerned and later tried to comfort him with a little during the pull.  The comfort was not well received by older brother.  

Circus practice

http://youtu.be/UWVLzyCKco4

favorite quotes lately

"Hey Mom, can we have some ingredients to make an explosion?"
--Trevor

"Inside (this room) I'm just myself, but outside, I'm a kitten who loves balloons."
--Trevor

monkeys

Trevor says to me while climbing to the top of his bunk with his brother and light saber:  "How about both me and Joel and monkeys with weapons and we're in the zoo, okay?

Me: "Ok. That's very easy for me to imagine."

Fight Club

Trevor:  Mom! Mom. Do you want a break tonight?

Keri: Why do you have fight club?

Scott: First rule of fight club: No mommies at fight club.

Trevor: (whispering in Keri's ear) I just want to box one more time."

hot hot hot

In July we enjoyed 19 days of temps over 100 degrees and 9 days with temps in the upper 90's.  That's the kind of summer that makes a girl totally forget the disappointingly chilly spring.

As I see it, there are only two options on those days: get wet or stay inside.   We've played at the splash pads and public pools & waterparks:  the river, mountain lakes and our own yard and will have attended about 19 swim lessons! The boys have learned a lot and Trevor improves every time. I'm proud of his willingness to keep trying in this skill that doesn't not seem to come naturally to him. 

I had them take net because I thought we'd see so many minnows like we did last year.  Not yet. Maybe in a few weeks.

Note Trevor's not only fighting with water balloons, but also some custom, Wieber -crafted nunchucks.

There is so much to do in the summer that I'm really not wanting this to end.  Thankfully the spring and fall are also very pleasant here.

Yes another BMX video

This one was taken by the GoPro worn by Trevor who followed Joel through the BMX track.  What that you ask?  Oh, yes I am trying to recruit friends to join us out on the track some early morning.  It's good (dusty and dirty) fun.

Eagle Foothills BMX

The Eagle Foothills BMX track was new last year.  They've made great improvements-- all done by volunteers.  It's a really fun sport to watch.  Trevor and Joel both love it.  I have been avoiding it lately   because of the intense heat.  During races which are held every Tuesday night and on some Saturdays, riders are required to wear long sleeves and long pants with a helmet-- full face helmets are suggested.  So, it's an oven for our 5 year old.
A couple of weeks ago, though,  I took them early in the morning before it got too hot.  It was a good time to let Joel do the big track which he hasn't done before.

Here's the video in high speed mode:

goofy

I walk by the bathroom while Joel sits on the toilet.  He put the lid down so that it rested on his back and said,  "I'm a superhero!"
We both laughed at his joke, then after I walked away he yelled, "Mom! I'M NOT A SUPERHERO.  JUST JOEL."
He is so very silly and he keeps me laughing.

More sillyness-  this shot was taken right before I said, "Joel! No!" at the splash pad at the park.

This is the face of a happy 3 year old.

oreos

Unless you want the middle of your oreos licked out for you, here's why you shouldn't leave oreos out near a 3 year old:

antics

Trevor and Joel LOVE entertaining their little cousin.  Trevor is especially attentive to him.

The boys had the special attention of a 6 month old and 2 year old in the shopping cart ahead of us, so, naturally, they started their comedy routine.

ready - set -hike!

We like to take this hike that is probably the closest foothills hike from our front door and it's perfect for a 3 and 5 year old. The uphill isn't long and the downhill is full of rolling whoops and turns. For my friends new to town, you'll find the parking lot for the Wild Phlox Trail on your right hand side on your way up Seaman's Gulch Road.

There's a great view of Boise, Garden City, and Eagle at the top, too. 

 

They are old enough to race down together.  I love it.

The Evolution of Dance Workout

This is what they are watching:

big air bean bag

We have a bean bag we bought from a store called "Love Sac."  Pre-parenting days,  Scott would accompany me to the mall and wait for me while I shopped.  This waiting often took place in the Love Sac store where big foam filled bags begged him to lounge.   It didn't really take many visits (or salespersons) to convince him we should have one.

That was before the boys were even on the scene.  Now it is most used by people under 45 inches.  And it is definitely not used for waiting anymore.  And we definitely made a switch from calling it the "love sac" to the bean bag.  Our young neighbor came over one day and when we heard ourselves call it the "love sac."  Yikes!

One of the ways I have found to play with them in this way is to just pretend I'm the X-games announcer and make up crazy names for their jumps.  (And also, to re-inforce the rules when needed.  Like-- "Please don't clobber each other.")  They are really motivated to invent new tricks when I make up names like "Dragon Splasher" or "Truck Doggie"  or "Fuzzy Popsicle."  Actually, they don't like fuzzy popsicle.  I guess that one is just for my amusement : )  When our little friend Mary came over to play, too, I made sure to add some prettiness to the names like glitter, clouds, shiny, and mermaid (her suggestion.)

 

boo-boos (not boobies)

The boys woke up Wednesday morning.  Trevor was out on the couch first which is unusual. Joel, still in bed, noticing this, called, "CHEVER! Pwease com'ere!"
Trevor went to him, "What is it, Joel?"
"Pwease turn on da light."  Yep.  He has no problem switching the light by himself, but I guess he needed a personal assistant that morning.
The two friends proceeded to grab a book from the pile we borrowed from the library and read it together.
Then Scott heard Trevor explain to Joel, "See the monkey is going to get boobies."
This set off the parental listening radar and Scott corrected him quickly, "Boo-BOOS.  The monkey is going to get an owie-- boo-boos."   
It's funny because we don't use the words boo-boos or boobies around here! ; )

A 3 and 5 year old

These two boys are a JOY to me.  I'll catch you up a bit on life with them.

Trevor is 5 now.  He tells me how he aspires to be a "surfer and fixer (of toys)" and, most recently, a chef.  I often ask, "And a Daddy?" He has told me he is going to have a hundred Trevor and Joel boys and maybe 3 girls. 

Some of his favorite foods are iceberg lettuce, honeydew, and asparagus.  I'm not making this up.  He gets JuMpY excited about them and I get lots of smiles from strangers in the produce section when I have to say, "Only ONE head of lettuce please.  Put the other four back."

Words come both easily and not-so-easily to him.  He is in the process of trying out new words and phrases.  For instance, he says Black Fader instead of Darth Vader.  For someone who has not seen Star Wars but has seen a picture of the lego version, it's a good guess. ; )  I think this might just be a boy thing, but he will also use "errrrrrch" (stopping sound) "boommm," and "zoom" as a verb in a regular sentence.  As in,  "Mom, the garbage truck just errrched in front of our house."

This morning right as the dark was fading in the house he asked if it was  morning or night.  "It's morning," I affirmed.  He then raced to the front room to pull open the blinds and see the sunrise.  "It gives wonder into my eyes." he explained to me. "And..it is adorable, too.   It's just so pretty."

Trevor blesses me with great conversation and imagination.  For the longest time he has told me all about his made up place named Children Town where he basically does everything cool and adult.  He hasn't talked about it in a couple of months, but I know this: Trevor is the Mayor.  All his many friends are there. He works in a blue office and the girls work in pink offices.  If I visit him, I have to ride in the back of the blue car that can drive underwater.  Trevor sometimes is in a band there and he rocks and plays drums and guitar.  He teaches all ages of people-- even babies and other children. He can teach kung fu, kicking, and fighting bad guys.  He can do things all independently and well. 

Joel is a giggly, snuggly, and can be quite fussy particular. 

He is so giggly that he'll laugh at the 40th raspberry in a row, the sound of the words "big dipper" and just about any funny look a friend throws at him.

He is so snuggly that he pushes my arm around him for book time and he prefers to fall asleep with his tiny little arms wrapped around my neck or with my arm over his belly tight like a seat belt.  Last night he told me, "No, jus like dis" and squeezed my cheek into proper position squoooshed next to his each time he woke up (see also "particular.")

I'll just share the loveable examples of his particular-ness.  I have had to put his socks on several times in a row to get them just right, he only wants to wear his underwear in a way that he can see the graphic which means they are sometimes backwards, and he will insist on having a turn rubbing my back after I've rubbed his. 

Joel's Awana teacher has told me that Joel has been showing off his break dancing moves for her.  Not surprisingly, it took just one instructional online video to teach him the robot.  He learned how to ride the glider down our little 1.5 ft. ramp this winter.  A glider is a bike without pedals that helps little ones learn how to balance a bike.  They instead use their legs to move it, then learn to glide and balance.

hide-n-seek

Playing hide and seek tonight as a family, Trevor stepped into the designated counting space which is the front door closet  and said, "Dear God…….  Oh.  I thought I was counting, but I was praying.  I mean, 1-2-3-4...."

It's a  good default. : )

Speed Limits

Sitting around the dinner table last night with Papa, we had asked our 5 year old, "What do you think would be the hardest part about being a daddy?"

He answered quite quickly, "I think I might not remember the speed limits."

Both Scott and his Dad have reason to understand this answer. 

Trevor is showing me the glider he built from erector set pieces.

It was just a matter of time

A bluebird day at Brundage Mountain.  Actually 3 in a row just like this and as warm as you want a ski hill to be.

This is the run you can see from town.

I clearly remember a time not that long ago when Scott and I were newly married and spending some time together at Bogus.  We were enjoying the view as we rode up Deerpoint.  That view included some little skiers.  One, a little guy of about 5 or 6 was zipping down the mountain in a way that I would have just described as a little wild and barely in control.  To me the boy was two minutes from a hospital visit.  To my husband, it was exciting and wonderful and what every boy should be doing.

Us- 2003

And I knew then that someday, if we had kids,  I would be the anxious parent in the peanut gallery watching our own children do crazy things while being coached by their dad.

We just spent a three gloriously sunny days last weekend in McCall-- mostly on the slopes of Brundage.  We had just finished the 2nd run down the bunny hill when Scott's sister Zeesa and I decided to take Trevor to a bigger chair with some easy runs.  At the top of the Bear Chair you can see the roped off terrain park.  Immediately, the Trevor spied it.  "Booyah.  That is a fun one I bet! I want to go there."

"No, Trevor.  Let's just see how you do on the runs." I said, thankful that he listens to me.  "I need to see you stay in control and make good turns.  Besides, your Dad isn't even here with us.  We can ask him."  I explained. 

Aunt Zeesa skiing alongside Trevor.

Trevor did well for those runs and then it was time to ski with Daddy, so Lisa and I took a few runs from the top.  We stopped by the terrain park on our last run back to them and witnessed an awkward moment with a young boy who lost his ski off a jump and whose mom was helping him get his stuff together.

Zeesa and I both decided, "Yeah.... Trevor's just not ready for the jumps.  He doesn't know what do (blah) (blah) (blah)...----"

"HEY!"  called Scott from the lift above.

"You should have seen Trevor on the picnic tables!  He stuck the first one, but yard saled the next one.  It was awesome!!"


And here is a video Scott took during one of their terrain park runs:

 

Here is a video of Joel taking a run with Papa on Easy Street. You'll have to click to watch.

Click to watch another video of Trevor at the terrain park.  Apparently AFTER the crash since he slows down so much.

Trevor-more terrain park

Winter Rec

Joel's First Day Skiing

Trevor Skateboards

Joel does it, too!

Playing around

Scott has a knack for tinkering on tiny toys.  He also 'gets' the boys.  He knew just how to fix up our old toys to put them in their stockings for Christmas.  I love that.  This year he made a snowboarder or skateboarder for each of us. 

Trevor got a new snowboarder out of his old biker guy whose bike broke almost instantly out of the package last summer.   This guy is always ready to 'drop in' and do tricks.  By the way, if you are some mom new to the world of boys and extreme sports like me--- do not quote me on the slang.  You will be made fun of because I most likely have it wrong and sound like a total dork. 

Here's my girl snowboarder.  She's a little more daring and does a few more tricks

than the real Keri.  Again, recycled toys include a more boyish posing doll that was turned into a girl and a skateboard turned into a snowboard for the season.

This one is a favorite already.  It's happy-meal-Tigress getting wacky on a skateboard thanks to the magic of velcro.

The boys both got new boxing gloves.  Joel, Trevor, and Nathan are not shy about punching or wrestling.  

Unfortunately Joel has a reach disadvantage.  Here we see his neck doing some kind of pez move.   It's not that I don't get a little tense watching this, but I have been surprised at how Joel knows precisely when to fake a knock out.  He's pretty keen that way because he doesn't appear to back down at all, but he keeps his little joker card in his back pocket to save him when he's had enough.

I have often  prayed that Trevor and Joel would be the best of friends through every season -- and friends who would encourage each other.   Scott would often joke that they would be punch-you-in-the-face-sometimes friends.  And here we have it.

 

The boys got a brand new set of fingerpaints, which, of course, was pretty well gone in two sessions.  Poor Joel puked right when I took this picture---which was when I found out the virus had moved to the belly.  They got some kind of flu bug a couple of weeks ago. 

Gross I know.  I don't know why I'm including a picture of the puke.  Moving on.

We have also been playing bmx.  But, when it's inside it's on the hopper balls istead of bikes and the boys do their final trick into the bean bag.  Trevor told me his name was Dribe (?).  Joel's was Spinner.  I gave them both two stars.  Two is the perfect in-between score for and perfectly understood by my angry-bird children.

Here we are at the co-op school we attend every Monday.  Scott came in to pray with us and lead the pledge of allegiance.  Trevor LIT UP as we walked up the short stage.  He didn't just light up with a smile of feeling proud to be with his daddy or getting the privilege of doing these things.  He LIT UP for the opportunity to show off his slapstick comedy monkey routine.  Here I am bowing my head to pray before I notice my son doing dances and making faces.  I am whispering. in. staccato : "Hold still or you are getting consequences!"  : )  
Meanwhile Scott prays the longest prayer ever.

Trevor has some go-to silly routines.  His signature moves are well-known by his cousins.  They can all do impressions of him.  Even Christian.