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Carter's first swim lesson

Carter's first movie - UP!

We've had a busy, busy week - yet again! Last week I got a major surprise with the arrival of Katie & Kara - thanks so much for coming girls, it was great to see you. I think I've been speechless surprised twice in my life now - once when my dad arrived in San Antonio in September of 2001 - we'd moved there in May and if I wasn't homesick enough 9/11 hit and made me want to move back into my parents basement & then waalaa - my dad arrived at Hills & Dales! Well K & K being here last Friday was about as shocking - as I turned to say hello to Sean and had friends too! We had a great weekend of doing mostly girl stuff & went out and stayed at Bricktown on Sat. night - such a nice treat for us to get out & leave the boys with their Mimi, and Sunday brought pedicures. Thanks, Mimi!

They were spoiled by Mimi - we went to Toys R Us (enough said, right?) we took Carter to his first movie - we saw UP! - he was a bit frightened and said a few times that he was scared and that we should leave but once he sat down on my lap he seemed a little better - I think the noise and the dogs in the movie were a bit much for him. He told Sean yesterday that he wants to go see Ice Age with him - so I think we will be sending them on that adventure soon. Carter also started swimming lessons last week - I'm not sure why his class isn't called something like "getting into the water" because that is most of what they do but I guess it is a start. He did wonderfully on Monday, horribly on Tuesday and better on Wednesday and Thursday - we will see what next week brings.

Linc of course would really like to be in swimming lessons as well - it is a bit of a challenge to keep him out of the water so I've been the mean mommy and put him in the stroller to keep him contained. He has recently figured out how to hide in our bathroom cabinets - he and Carter thought this was amazingly fun last week and spent a lot of time in and out of them - which is fine when my makeup isn't in there but is strictly prohibited when it is - because Mr. Helpful (Lincoln) has a tendency to make a mess with makeup - he's tried on mascara many times, loves to get his hands in lipstick and my personal fav - opens the mineral blush and spills it all over (we had a jammie fatality this week due to that little move). They boys were also helpful enough yesterday to turn on the lights in my car & now I have a dead battery so we are STUCK at home this morning! Really, stuck. They were also up at 5:30 so we are going to have a long morning.

Yesterday the boys painted alligators for daddy for Father's day - Linc got more paint on himself than the actual gator but Carter was meticulous in getting every inch (except the belly, which I had to convince him was supposed to be white) painted red. We then wrapped them up to give to daddy - when Sean got home, however, Carter opened the package and took his alligator back to play with so of course Linc did the same - guess they aren't yet schooled in the art of gift giving? That is about all from here, just your typical busy raising boys kind of week with some unexpected visitors & a Mimi!

We are still here!

Linc's slam dunk - with a tennis ball of course Foosball

First time on roller skates

First time being the driver (watch out Grandpa's truck!)

My handy-girl skills - putting together shelving for C's closet, I did have to take it apart 1 time but it is together the right way now!

I guess we've been busy - it has been 2 weeks since I've blogged or even blog surfed! We've been keeping plenty busy with lots of trips to the park, some swim dates and playing outside of course. The boys are LOVING having Grandpa's truck in our driveway and go to check on it from time to time, Carter told Sean last week that maybe Grandpa would want to just leave it here and use it from time to time, I think Sean would be ok with that too! Carter is also quick to tell everyone that his Grandpa needed a new truck because his old one is DISGUSTING or sometimes he says 'sgusting.

We had a fun birthday party to attend last night, they had all sorts of fun toys for the boys (and Sean) to enjoy, Carter tried to skate for the first time, I of course had to tell Sean how I used to be so good and he of course had to doubt this - but really I was good - I had a whole basement to skate in when I was younger and spent many, many hours skating around listening to music. Happy 5th Birthday to Carson!

I've nearly wrapped up my MOMS Club presidency, and have been spending lots of time trying to make sure everything is in order to turn over the the new board. It feels good to be almost done (all except the finishing touches on the annual report) and thus may have more time to blog soon!

This week with the Hogans

Boating with daddy (Sean thinking can this boat turn into a real one?)

At the pond

Linc trying out the potty

Watching the turtle poop opened up the poop talk again

We've had a relatively uneventful week. Carter's last day of school was this week so we are officially in summer mode! Should be interesting to not have that day break each week but we missed 1/2 of the weeks last year so it just wasn't worth it - I will be ready for fall no doubt to send them both back to school - Carter to preschool 2 days a week and Lincoln to one day a week of Mother's Day Out.

Our biggest news is that the bird in our front tree-bush - Carter bird, has babies! Of course, they have been named Carter and Lincoln by Carter. It is kind of fun to watch them - maybe I'll become a bird watcher after all. We saw a cardinal feed the baby birds last night but they birds can't be cardinals as they are brown with orange beaks so I thought that was interesting. The baby birds eat just as Animal Baby (a book that Carter used to get) says that they do - they stretch their little necks open and squawk for food!

The boys have been busy playing - Lincoln is starting to use the hammer - on everything in site so I'm putting the hammers away when I can! He's also followed Carter's lead and learned how to climb from the back of the couch on to our counter - not a good habit for sure! So if you come to our house and the love seat is pulled out into the middle of the living room - Lincoln is the reason. Carter is testing us with some naughty words this week - he's favorite saying right now are poopy anything, kick butt & Sh*t! He's getting his babies taken away for such talk and I'm hoping we are starting to be done with the naughty mouth - I did get the soap out last week and it scared him so I guess that might have to be done again. He's also decided to call his babies his brothers - so Lukey, Deer & Cow are now his brothers? He also decided yesterday he didn't like his real brother - I think it was because he was sitting on Sean's lap on the golf course that he wanted to disown him. It's always something...

Touchin' some trucks

Carter the crane operator

Linc driving the car transporter

Carter being transported

OU Life flight (not sure it is called Life Flight here but that is my Iowa name for it!)

Ready for the Ozarks - will Scott let him drive his boat?

Linc is an Oliver boy - Carter a John Deere one?

We had Touch a Truck today for the MOMS Club of Edmond - we were so lucky that the weather cooperated, all week it has been like 70% chance of rain in the morning and we missed it - it was 60's and blue skies (much better that sweltering hot in my opinion). I'm guessing we had more than 2,000 people today and made at least that much money in addition to the money that was already raised - those moms are amazing and many kids in the Food 4 Kids program will eat well this school year because of their work - truly a win-win for all.

The boys enjoyed this years event much more than last year - as I recall last year Linc was frightened by the noise but this year he jumped in. It took a few trucks to decide how much fun it was but they got excited, some of the highlights were the tractors (they even had an Oliver which I think pleased Sean a great deal), the Milk truck & the truck that gave away the ice cream (thanks to Borden), we saw the flight helicopter (and wondered if Aunt Lindsey's is as small?), got to get on a few boats. I think the highlights (and also later in the process) were probably getting in the crane - like the big one 110 feet crane & the car transporter that they got to walk on. We could have stayed even longer, it was great here are a few pictures of the boys.

Pictures and Quotes!

Carter's little words make us laugh all the time - this morning I was standing on the bathtub to make sure my outfit looked the way I thought it did when he asked me what I was doing and I said that I wanted to make sure I looked o.k. He then asked if he could have a look at himself and I lifted him up (he was fresh out of bed and in his undies!) he said "I think I look very handsome" it was very cute! He has also been into naming everything under the sun Carter - now the bird outside our house is named Carter, the turtle we saw on our walk is named Carter & something else we saw this morning he thought should be named Carter. He's been practicing his yoga moves and stretching the last few days and is thrilled to wear his new shirt for Touch-a-Truck this weekend because it has a tow truck on it. He's also been creating traffic jams in his room by getting every car and truck out and lining them up to create the jam. He's also been telling everyone who asks his age that he is 10!

Linc's got a little case of the crabbies but seems a little better yesterday and today - he has been tired it seems a bit cranky - I can't come up with any symptoms to take him to the doctor but sometimes I want to just have him checked - I do many of my own scheduled just to make sure they are well checks and I'm attempting to not give into that temptation this week.

The boys and I went get pictures taken with a great photographer in town last week and I'm so anxious to see them - it was fun and the boys enjoyed their session which isn't the norm for them. We also played outside in the sprinkler with the Stropes and the kids got to body paint - they are covered in chocolate pudding, of course, Carter thought it was great fun to get it on Jack but wasn't all that excited about getting it on him! This morning we toured the Auntie Anne's at the mall and Carter made his own pretzel and we all enjoyed the product of his hard work!

Iowa Experiences

Papa looking a bit smug introducing The Razor

Linc loving the Kabota

My girls - together again

A 4-wheeler built for 3
The boys learning from the girls how to recycle

Linc having a bit too much fun with the hand soap

So much to catch up on - we had a great trip to Iowa last weekend, Sean says our most relaxing since having 2 boys (although I still am not sure that traveling with kids is exactly relaxing it was a good trip!). The boys got to do all sorts of things that we don't get to do when we go to Iowa for an event - they got to visit our grandparents for a while, have some Breadaux Pisa (as every trip to Iowa should include). Carter got a saw and some goggles at my Grandma's house that he proceeded to wear much of the weekend on his head, he loved them so much that he fogged them over with sweat and his Aunt Gwen even called him Scuba Steve (I think, from that one Adam Sandler movie with the little kid). Luckily they haven't made it out of the house and to any events yet, unlike the cell phone and tool belt have (hate it when they show up at the store, and you forgot he had them or was wearing them).

They got to ride the 4 wheeler, the kabota and even the Razor at Mimi and Papa's house - and Carter got to fish and learn how to mushroom hunt with my dad - he apparently wore Papa out looking for mushrooms and wanted to keep going long after Papa was done looking! He also threw a little sass at his Mimi and announced he wasn't coming back to her house after he got his shoes dirty there! The little high maintenance boy that he is.

On Sunday they got to fix tractors with the Hogan boys. Linc said tractor this week which must be a direct result from spending some time farming. He won't say it on command but has said it twice when he's seen a tractor. The boys also learned how to recycle from the nieces which was cute because I'm pretty sure they don't know what on earth recycling is. They have so much fun playing with their cousins and they love each of them. We got to visit Marah at school on Monday and she was so sweet and knelt down to hug the boys and tell them good-bye - she is such a good oldest grandchild and looks after the little ones. Samantha is the innovator, I think and seems to come up with the most fun games possible (and loves to lead the group when her big sister is absent). Charlee on the other hand tends to get run over by the herd but I think she's going to find her way (if my own cousin experience says anything - she'll be the one to get the big kids in trouble and lead the small pack) - she's awfully smart too and told me how it was - she said "Aunt Lindsey came to my dance recital and you didn't" I'm sorry Charlee! On our way home Carter was already planning the next visit for Cael, he insists that we need to get Cael a squirt bottle for our bathtub so the next time he visits he'll have his own - and Carter plans to sit at the front of the bathtub! I see many fun discussions between my boys and Cael in the future since Cael is going to be knowledgeable in all things farming and Carter is just going to think he knows it all! Sorry there are no farming pics - I took the camera to the girls night out shindig!

A great shindig it was - I mean really, not everyone owns a mint condition 1969 Cy Ride right? I am happy to report that Katie married into not just 1 of them but 2 (the second for parts.) We had a great time celebrating her belated 30th and I finally got to get my hands on Ms. Tayah - she's seems like such little people when compared to my little people and I was a bit scared of her - I know I have kids and all but you forget all that baby business. It was so good to see Nat, Katie & Kara - our times are certainly too few but just like the old ones when we get back together and I truly cherish our friendships and time.

Getting back to so called normal this week was a bit of a challenge, we were busy with stuff it seemed. We have a new bird named Carter (by Carter, of course) living in our front bush/tree thing - we must check on the bird often and I don't think he really likes us looking at him through the window as he flees every time we move. Linc's other new word for the week is "HOLD" he certainly learned this from his brother who begs to be held as a way to not go to bed but he's been asking to be held a lot lately and I'm not sure he feel really well. He had his 18 month check up on Wednesday and according to our doctor is "certifiably tall and skinny" he was 80th percentile on height and 30th on weight! He's also been trying to be a big boy and pee in the potty like Carter does, kind of exciting that he's interested but I'm certainly not getting my hopes up just yet. Carter's other funny for the week is that he's becoming obsessed with cleaning products - every time he sees me use something he says - is that Oxyclean? I think that they advertise a little too heavily on one of the kid channels and maybe he has taken in one show too many lately.

We had a good Mother's day - naps for everyone but Sean and out for a nice lunch at a new place. I don't even mind the rain since it wasn't blazing hot like it was one day last week - I'm not so sure that I am ready for summer, why can't it be spring and fall year round?

Me & My Great Ideas!

This is Carter's big boy carseat for daddy's truck - he thinks it is so cool!

This morning was cleaning morning at the Hogan house which basically means that Lincoln follows me around & Carter gets to watch too much t.v.! Anyway, I got the bathrooms cleaned and house dusted although there is much more to do, I feel like we have a start on things. So after showering I decided that we needed to get out of the house and was thinking lunch out but then had a GREAT idea! Let's take a picnic to the pond - Carter even said "what a great idea, mom" but no it didn't exactly turn out to be a GREAT idea after all. I guess I sort of forgot, sort of didn't care that we had a lot of rain last night so we had to sit on the path, not a big deal until Carter got his shoes dirty and insisted on taking them off & then said "Mom, there is a snake" and I looked down and it was a worm that Linc had also noticed and was suddenly trying to catch - that with the bugs was our cue to come back home for a picnic on the back porch which is much more our style! On a very separate note, the egg timer nap idea seems to be working for Carter today - yippee!