Sunnin' It Up...

FYI...I will be soaking up the rays for the next few days at Silver Creek RV Resort in good ole Mears. Keith is already there setting up camp and Kyle and I will be heading out promptly at 5pm. The boys (K.C.A.) have football this week so they will be commuting everyday but Kyle and I are livin' it up and stayin' put! It's a tough life, but I'm always willing to take one for the team!

On another fun note, check out the trust Kyle has in Caleb. Wait a minute-how about the trust I have in Caleb...

Kyle is loving the water, so I suppose he really needs to trust his brother. I am no fish and really don't care to be.

Oh yeah, he's got it goin' on! Don't show this to your young daughters...I don't need a line forming in my front yard quite yet!

Eleven Years Ago Today...

Wow, it is a bit cliche' but it seems like only yesterday that I was getting ready for the birth of my first bambino. Everything was progressing rather smoothly until my last routine checkup. Caleb had turned. He was breech and was starting to deliver foot first. I know that sounds funny, but it is what Dr. David told me. All I could picture was this little baby foot hanging out where it shouldn't be and I wondered where on earth his other leg was!! Dr. David scheduled me for a c-section the following afternoon. I panicked!! I never once read up on c-sections and didn't know a thing about them and in an instant I was scheduled to have one! Kristin was with me at the time, so we left the office and headed promptly to Red Lobster for my last supper, so to speak. I was so consumed with fear that I didn't eat much. I know what you are thinking...yes, I must've been super stressed in order to eat light at RL!! I went home that afternoon, pulled out every bit of everything I could find to read about c-sections. I didn't answer the phone and I only told my family what was happening. Linda kept calling because she knew I had an appointment that day, but I didn't feel like talking. Silly Linda. Since I didn't answer, she called Hackley and they filled her in.

I asked Caleb this morning if he felt eleven. He thought about it and said not really. I told him that this afternoon, as he's getting ready for his party at his dad's, it would hit him all of a sudden. I told him he didn't feel eleven yet because he isn't. I guess that used to work, back when he was ten!!

We were talking about his birthday last night and I just started tearing up. Keith looked at me and just shook his head. Apparently I do this often. Caleb has grown into such a wonderful young man. He is kind and considerate. (here come the tears) He is everything I wish for him to be. I am so proud of him. He melts my heart. He may be the spittin' image of his dad and he may look up to him and in other's eyes he may be his dad's biggest fan, but...he loves his mommy from the very, very bottom of his toes and he shows it constantly and it gets me every time.

Happy Birthday, baby turtle! I love you more than you'll ever know, but I'll forever try to show you!

Andrew was feeling a little left out this morning with all the attention Caleb was getting. I think he forgets that he also has a birthday once a year and gets all oohed and aahed over. Oh well. Grandma Tallquist said she'd throw out a little extra love his way today. The boys are going with her to the airport to pick up their Aunt Michelle who lives in Texas. Both are sooo excited to see and spend time with her.

Clarification...

I read my last post this morning after Jen and Wini both said they were confused about the ban...

The ban is on the Oreos...the "Devil's children" referred to the Oreas and "all of them" also referred to the Oreos. I wasn't implying that my children are the work of the Devil, although sometimes...I simply cannot have the Oreos in my presence. Any and all of them are simply SINFUL. Those poor children didn't do anything to deserve the ban. They more or less just have to deal with it because I have no willpower!! :)

We went camping with the Buchbergers, over the weekend, at Yogi Bear in Grand Haven. It's funny, we never consider camping south of us. We tried two campgrounds up north, but both were full so we ventured in the other direction. We had a wonderful time. The weather was terrific. We even complained about it being too hot at times. I already knew this and semi hate to admit it, but I am definitely a city camper. I don't even care anymore. I love a bug-free, dirt-free environment. If I vacationed anywhere else, I wouldn't have to sweep the entire time. I don't consider all of that work vacationing. Those are my only two complaints about the weekend. There was so much for the kids to do.

Yesterday morning, I brought muffins over to the Buchbergers, since I didn't share them the morning before. (I'll get to that) Chris asked why the boys wouldn't want them. I told her they were having Oreos for breakfast. She asked me if I was okay with that...poor Chris. She is such a kind-hearted person and she was so politically correct-thanks, Chris. Yes, it was okay with me because I made the first mistake of buying them on a whim when her and I visited Walmart the night before and I didn't want them in the vicinity, let alone in my home. I commented that they weren't any worse than the pop tarts that I was serving at that particular meal. We each laughed and that was that. Well...I did a comparison between the two and let me tell you...

3 Oreos.......Choco Fudge P.T.(1)....Blueberry P.T. (1)

160 cal............210 cal..........................220 cal.
7 fat.................6 fat..............................7 fat
24 carbs..........36 carbs.......................36 carbs
14 sugars........17 sugars.....................16 sugars
1 protein.........2 protein......................2 protein
1 fiber..............2 fiber..........................2 fiber

I get way more bang for my buck buying Oreos for breakfast, don't you agree?? Okay, so I won't be buying Oreos for breakfast. Actually, I won't be buying Oreas at all. They are the devil's children. All of them.. Every last one. They are not ever allowed in my house. I had no forbiddens in the camper. That ended yesterday. Today...today there are new rules. No Oreos. No where (this even warrants 2 words instead of one). No way. No how.

Here, Here, Here and There...

Keith and Kyle were working in the garage last night when Keith noticed Kyle had taken a big over exaggerated step over a puddle. He couldn't figure out where the puddle came from and apparently questioned it aloud. Kyle, very matter-of-factly, replied, "I peed. He-o, and he-o, and he-o. (as he is pointing to more puddles) Then he walked to another spot, knelt down, and squinted at a spot. He turned to Keith and said, "And just a witt-o bit they-o." Gross, but very funny.

Later last night, we were talking about camping. I told Kyle we are camping with the Buchbergers and told him Aidan would be there. His eyes got really big and his smile stretched from ear to ear as he said, "Aidan...(almost in a bear like growl) he my best duy at day-o!" ("He's my best guy at there, or for Kristin, it is, "he's my best friend camping.") Ah, a little buddy. How fun!

Success...

By George, I think he's got it!!! It was a long few days but by Sunday, we only had to change Kyle's underwear one time! He made it through church and grocery shopping and didn't have an accident until 5:30 that night. Yippee! Monday was another successful day. We took the fam to Michigan's Adventure and Kyle had one accident again. Darn #2. That night, he actually made it to the potty for that same darn #2. "Jood job, Tyle Tatton!" He used to call himself Dyle, but now it is Tyle. And, yes, I meant to type "jood". He has been getting M-n-Ms for a job well done and I've been giving him way more than the standard 1 for #1 and 3 for #2. I was worried about how to break him of that when the time comes, but we actually have to remind him he gets the goods. Wow! We skipped the (great) concert last night (rain) in favor of the Red Wok. (Keith's birthday-his choice) Kyle was in the bathroom 4 or 5 times. I truly lost count. I knew eating there could very possibly cause concern, but lo and behold he did me proud! We are still using pull-ups at night, but they have been showing all 5 backpacks on them in the morning. Say it with me...HOORAY!!!!! I know we aren't there quite yet, but I am very hopeful! Tami will be amazed!

My poser...he likes his new big boy boxer briefs. They are just like daddy's and his "buddoes".

Summer Vaycay...

Last year, as a Christmas gift, my sister and mom decided to get us each season passes to Michigan's Adventure. Our first trip was on the last day of school. It was just the big boys and I. Since having Kyle, I haven't spent as much time with Caleb and Andrew as I'd like. Keith always takes them to do fun things and I stay home with the baby. We had an absolute blast! I left the park that day and called my mom, crying, thanking her for the wonderful gift. I had the best time with the boys. I told her it would be the gift I ask for every year.

This year, it rained like crazy on the last day of school. We were all bummed because we were so looking forward to the park. We made the most of our rainy day and had lots of fun, but we all couldn't wait for a sunny day.

Andrew has no fear, but has one thing working against him in a major way. His height. He is a roller coaster madman and before the start of the season, Pat measured him at 47 1/2 inches tall...1/2 inch too short for the big rides. I told him to hang tight. He is sure to grow during the summer months. I don't know what happened on the first day, but he measured shorter than that and so the people in the registration area gave Andrew the platinum pass, which is for seniors and small children. Thanks to Andrew, we have a free season parking pass!! Better than that, for him, if he wears his tennies, he is just tall enough to ride the roller coasters. He doesn't quite hit the mark, but If a finger cannot fit in the gap, he is all set. Keith rode the coasters with him and while he was a bit queasy, Andrew giggled the entire ride. Every ride. Unfortunately, Andrew isn't tall enough for the new coaster-Thunder Hawk. Big bummer.

Caleb is horrified of heights. I don't know where that comes from. :) Pat told him he would take the boys to the park this summer and that Caleb would have to ride all the rides! He was mortified! He cried about it, or at least whimpered, every time he brought it up to me. I told him that as long as he didn't have a choice, he should suck it up and go with it. The Thunder Hawk has 5 loops. It is all I heard about. I finally came up with the idea that he should try the corkscrew because it only had two loops. I told him I'd go with him. He LOVED it! He loved it so much that he made it his mission to ride all of the roller coasters. The other day, after riding Shivering Timbers, I heard him say to Andrew something like, "Now that I've ridden them, all the fun is gone." Oh. I guess we don't have to come back anymore.

I decided one day, a bit earlier in the season, to take Kyle on our little adventure. I didn't want to pay for daycare so I told the boys we wouldn't stay for too long and they wouldn't be able to ride many rides. Our first stop was the Tilt A Whirl.. The four of us rode it. Wouldn't you know that we got a good car...one than spun really fast. The attendant stopped the ride early for another rider. Good thing. I thought Kyle was going to puke. Surprisingly, after that experience, he still wanted to try other rides. We all tried out many of the "kiddie" rides and everyone seemed to have fun.

We have been back, as a family of 5, a couple more times since then. Kyle no longer rides in the stroller. It is only used as the carryall. Keith and I take turns staying with him and riding with the boys. Kyle even likes the water park. Keith plays in the water, the boys play in the wave pool, and I lounge, poolside, in the sun. What a life. I need to take it all in now since next year, Kyle will cost someone lots of money!!

Yuck! I am no fan of heights and this ride, and especially this picture, turns my stomach!

These boys...

Andrew and I are in the top right of this picture...upside down.

Woo Hoo..