The Spooky Wall

Since moving into our new house, Gavin has had some issues with the plug near his bed.  Every other plug outlet in the house seems not to be an issue, but this particular one causes him to cover his head with blankets at night in fear. 

We have talked with him many times to see what it is that makes this one stand out.  It seems to be the poor painting job around the outlet itself that has given him the impression that he is seeing eyes and noses and such.  In an effort to alleviate the situation, Todd has placed part of a paper bag over the outlet and has taped it all around the area to make it so that it cannot be seen.  Here is what Todd came up with. 

So, we thought this would do the trick, but we still see Gavin covering his face at night and describing to us what looks like this...

This has now been covered by the hamper, a small chair and a pillow.  We'll have to figure out ways to get this monster out of here!  I think I might suggest hanging his stinky socks nearby the outlet to make the monster run for his life. :)

Oso Maki

Trying new things is a normal occurrence for our family.  I guess it's a thing with me as I am constantly pushing new ideas, adventures and tastes onto the kids, and even sometimes Todd.  Not that they all seem to mind that much.  Everyone is pretty agreeable to at least trying something, even if they don't like it.  That is what sparked us trying something different....

We never eat fish at our house.  I mean never; however, for the first time in our family history, we decided that we would try out some cooked salmon.  I know we are a little weird as Todd and I both are not fans of cooked fish, but all of a sudden, we are having a taste for it.  We do, on the other hand, love sushi and were introduced to it years ago.  It is my favorite food and it is what I craved throughout both pregnancies.  I guess that is what sparked my sushi thought....

As we were eating the cooked salmon, we noticed that Gavin nearly inhaled his and even asked for more.  This is when Todd and I looked at each other with a realization that we are going to have this more often due to the overwhelming unspoken applause given to us by our son.  This is what sparked the conversation about fish....

Todd and I kind of stumbled over our words a little when we were trying to explain why we've never had fish at our table in the past.  We shared that we have a love of fish in a different way, on rice and raw.  He did not really understand what we were trying to explain, but we encouraged him that, one day, we would explore the world of sushi as a family.  This is what sparked a little girl to think out of the box....

As we were speaking to Gavin about this new possibility and how much we would enjoy doing this as a family, Todd began to share all of the different things you can wrap into a sushi roll (maki) or onto rice to create sushi.  We began to list off the many yummy insides of our favorite maki rolls when Sophia, in the most confident manner that anyone could possibly assume, proudly states "I'll put teddy grahams on mine."  I love how she thinks out of the box.  Of course, we busted out in laughter imagining such a roll.  This is what sparked my mind to come up with such a humorous visual....

Oso Maki
(Oso=Bear in Spanish)

The Owl Call

Every night we read several books together as a family.  Lately, it has been where we have Gavin read a book or two to us and then Todd or I read a longer, richer book.  This night we chose to read "Owl Moon" by Jane Yolen, pictured below.

This book is such a fantastic and touching book about a child and her father walking through the forest at night, searching for an owl...an owl hunt.  I, often times, read and tear up as it is such a beautiful experience between a child and father. 

Because of my love for this book, I decided that I would be honored to read it to the family.  As I read aloud, the section were the pa makes the owl call was read and it didn't quite sound right.  Todd corrected me with the real way it should have been read.  It, of course, sounded a million times better.  I chuckled out loud knowing that I was way off and did not do that section justice and this is when Gavin chimes in, so naturally, with the sad trombone/trumpet sound to emphasize how bad it was.

Click the link if you would like to hear how bad it felt...hysterical
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC75aU47GRk

Where's My Cutie Pie?

Sophia has become quite expressive these days.  I love when she gets excited.  It's so obvious.  She throws her hands together, clasping them, and raises her voice about eight octaves to a shrill.  It's pretty darn cute I must say.

A few things trigger such a reaction.  Princesses, of course, babies and cute animals.  She has a true addiction to all three equally.  She must surround herself with anything and everything with the above qualities, but she is especially drawn to something with a "double factor."  Example, baby + wearing princess clothes= EXTRA ADORABLE and even higher squeals.  It is as if all of her dreams have come true in one fell swoop.

We have such a double factor currently living next door to us.  Baby + Kitty= OMG! INSANITY! She runs around jumping, whooping and squealing in delight, talking in an unrecognizable whisper/squeal as if the little feline can understand..."Hello my little cutie pie.  Are you my little cutie pie?" 

Somehow, the world stops for a few short seconds as I, like the kitty, cannot seem to keep my eyes off such a magical and entrancing little girl.  Although I cannot make out the rest of what she is shrieking, I just smile and think I wish this moment would never end. 

He's So Sketchy

Drawing on bathtub walls during scrub-a-dub-dub time is a usual ritual at our house.  Usually we see lots of scribbles and blended colors; however, this night was full of experimenting with drawing everyone in the family.  Gavin has become a pro at drawing circles, adding two dots for eyes and a straight line for a mouth.  I haven't figured out why we never smile in his depictions of us...I guess we must be pretty stern or something. I challenged him to add a body, arms and legs to make it look like a person.  I did some modeling of a "person" with all of the necessary attributes and to my surprise, Gavin followed with his own beautiful work of art.

Is he the next Picasso or what?! Brilliant!

Holy Moley

Pointing...m-m-m-m-mo-l-e, moleeeee, molay, MOLE!

Did you only think that this happens in the movies? No. Although I don't have a large mole on the front of my face, I do have a smaller mole in the crease of my armpit.  Both Gavin and Sophia seem to be obsessed with it.  For many months, one of them will just pop out and ask to see my mole or wonder if it has somehow disappeared from 5 minutes prior. 

These requests usually come at the oddest times; however, the most unusual has to be their request to see my mole at the dinner table.  This becomes more of an obsession when I wear a tank top as it seems to be blaring out at both of them, just as the picture above. 

One particular dinner (with a tank) included many requests to see "the mole" as we were eating.  I, consistently, reminded them both to stop worrying about my mole and eat their dinner.  Although normally I would not remember such a menu, but they were eating a boca burger and some carrots with some ranch for dipping. 

This is a key detail as the rest of my grossed out evening involved these two items.  As I turn to remind Sophia, one more time, to eat and stop worrying about my mole, I begin to feel something wet in my armpit.  I quickly turn around to find Gavin twirling his carrot and ranch onto my mole! All I do after this is, of course, laugh hysterically as I have a half a bowl of ranch to wipe off.  Yuck. 

A Reason To Dress Up

Easter comes but one time a year and, yes, I have turned into the mama that likes to dress up her kids in order to snap unforgettable "memories."  Fortunately, we have acquired spring/summer clothes from a close friend for Sophia so she is constantly stylin' and Gavin has obtained a few cute outfits too.  This last weekend was just an excuse to clean them up and see them all sparkled up for the day.  (you're right...it didn't last long)

Perhaps it is the stigma of a holiday, but as my memory serves me right, each one of those came with a price.  Yes, a good old fashioned family feud.  Over what you ask?  Ummmmm, just about everything.  From "he's touching me" to "get your feet on your own side" to "she hit me!"  This wrapped up with me mimicking my own mother as I yell out "we will not be looking for Easter eggs if this continues" and "I don't even know if we should go." All the while, I'm thinking of the crappy family "memories" we are making.  Isn't that how it always works?  I seem to remember a few of those "memories" growing up. How did I end up like one of "those moms?" 

The more I think about the answer to that question, I reflect on what "those moms" are made of and I conclude that they are pretty rockin' mamas.  They put up with all kinds of craziness and still find the strength to get their kids dressed up knowing that all hell will break loose in mere moments.  I'm proud to be a "mean mama" as Sophia so elegantly stated as she was screaming at the top of her lungs because I buckled her in to the car seat, keeping her safe.  I'll give you every moment of "mean" if my definition really equals love. 

So, let's have a reason to dress up! Pull out the dresses, the nice shoes, and the comb to slick back the hair and let's make some memories!  Below are a few of our "memories."