No More Naps

The day has finally come where the pros outway the cons for Ty to stop napping. I LOVE my boys and love playing with them and watching them interact. But I also love the time I get when they are both sleeping so sweetly and giving me some time to actually accomplish some of my things. Lately Ty has been struggling at bedtime. And I mean really struggling. He is usually in bed by 8:30 and when do we finally go to bed because he is asleep? Oh, usually after 10:00 sometime, and it has been leaning closer to 10:30. So it is time to nix naps.

We are working on 'quiet time' so that he still realizes I need some time to myself and he gets to work on doing things on his own. Today was the first day and is going surprisingly well. We started with some play dough and then coloring and now he is singing to himself and putting on his snow clothes. Not because he is going out, just because he likes to play in his snow clothes.

Every so often he would ask me to come color with him and then he would stop himself and say, "Oh, no you don't need to help me, it's quiet time and I a big boy to do it all by myself." I hope that idea sticks. Not to avoid or neglect, but to help him gain his independence (not that he has EVER struggled with that though). We have had some great conversations though, since he hasn't had to compete with Jordo. It is good to give them some time apart.

Here's hoping bedtimes improve. If anyone has any great quiet time ideas, please feel free to pass them along.

Here's Ty proudly posing with the snow clothes. He's still working on getting his fingers into the right blasted spot.

'Tis the Season

So, I realize I am a slacker with the whole blogging thing. It just gets pushed to the bottom of the list with everything else the holidays bring. We have had a busy couple of weeks and I think it will only get worse until the holidays pass. That's okay, I like the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season.



So amongst the holiday sales, we found some new PJs for the boys. Ty's has been needing some for a while and we have been in search of the top and bottom set, since the onesies are hard with a potty trained 'big boy'. And I think they both look pretty stinking cute. What do you think?


They look like they are singing, but it just happened to be the picture that worked while the were talking and squirming. Man, I love those little boys!

Shoes and more shoes, Ty's Birthday and Uncle T!

This time of year it just nuts. Even if you aren't doing something holidayish, it seems there is still plenty going on. So I apologize for not staying up with the blogging world.

My boys like to play with my shoes from time to time. Wear them around, usually in the kitchen where they'll make the most noise, but today they found a whole new game to play.

Thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Shaw for wooden blocks and Grandma and Grandpa Gay for lego blocks for Ty's birthday, all mine and Kev's shoes ended up filled with blocks and then lined up every so carefully on the bathroom counter.

I love how creative kids are and that they make fun out of everyday things. I wish I could be so carefree.

Ty's birthday was a lot of fun. Three is a great age, cause they actually understand and they have so much enthusiasm. All day Ty would ask, "Mom, when's your birthday? When's Daddy's birthday?... " and then he'd ask when his was, I would tell him, "Today!" and and he would say, "Oh, right, Happy Birthday to Ty!"

Here are the boys attempting to blow up some of the birthday balloons. Ty's never got bigger than that, and I don't think Jordo ever found the right end.

And since 90% of our toys are balls, I thought a ball cake was fitting for Ty, who already loves EVERY sport. It is still crazy that I have a three year old though.

And I am a bit late on this, Kev's brother Tanner, got home from his mission from the South Korea Daejon Mission clear back on October 18th. But we still wanted to post about it. The boys were so excited for Uncle T and now they have another buddy when we got to Grandma and Grandpa's. Welcome home TAN!!!

Happy Halloween!

Now that I have your attention, I would like to thank Aunt Barb for spicing up our halloween party this year. She makes a stunning Bethie wouldn't you say? Gotta love the flash :)

Halloween is a favorite holidays at our house. Ty couldn't wait for the day he got to be a cowboy. It was a good thing we had multiple events so he could enjoy it more than once.

Our two stinking cute cowboys.

Barb donated her son's old cowboy costume and really completed Ty's look.

Here's Jordo still trying to figure out what we were doing to him.

The best thing about this picture is that it is not posed. Just before I snapped the picture, Ty grabbed his gun out of his holster and went to shoot the camera. It couldn't have been more perfect.

Ty was a great helper with the pumpkin carving this year. But for some reason he always had to keep checking what the inside looked like.

Then of course Jordo always does what Ty does.

The finished product, ours is the middle really mean one and to the right is Kev's brother's. He just got home from his mission from South Korea and did the Korean flag. (We hope to post about his homecoming, but are awaiting pics)

Happy Halloween!!!

First Snow

I know, this is way late, but at least I'm getting it up.

When it snowed on Saturday, but wasn't sticking, Ty was so excited he wore his snow boots around all day. He kept asking if he could go out and make snowballs, but we told him it wasn't enough yet. We had that conversation at least twenty times. When we woke up Sunday, Kev realized it had snowed and said to keep the blinds closed so that Ty wouldn't see and beg to go outside all morning. Well that lasted about five minutes until Ty saw his snow boots, remembered the snow and looked outside. He was thrilled! And Kev, being the great dad that he is, got the boys all dressed up and took them out to make the first snow balls of the season. I was at a meeting so I missed the fun, but he took some great pictures.

Aren't these the cutest boys ever?

What else would you do with snow besides shovel it? (Kev did the walks, they aren't quite that good...yet.)

Kev told Ty to make a snow angel. He told him what to do, and Ty did pretty good. He flapped his hands instead of his arms, so he made a great angel with itty bitty wings.