Order of Importance......

Brady doesn't say a whole lot yet (we are working on it) but when he does it is about something he really feels passionately for.....his list of words in the order that they came to him is sort of telling and a little bit scary......



1. BALL
2. DA
3. MA
4. BAYBALL



I am just saying I don't mind Da being before Ma, but if that "bayball" moves up any higher on that list of hierarchy and pushes me towards the bottom we might just be repainting his room! :)



So as you can see 2 out of his 4 most commonly used words have to do with balls and sports of any kind......the boy is feverishly crazy about any item that includes a bat, a stick, a ball, a net, or a glove (bless his heart he walks around all day with Brooke's hot pink mitt). I don't know if it is in the genetic make up of boys but it is so funny to watch him go so crazy over anything sports related and then catch a glimpse of his sister out of the corner of my eye mouthing every word to every song of high school musical.......(thanks grandma for the CD it has been on NONSTOP!!!) So the Ball continues to be the #1 love of this little boy and I don't think it is going away anytime soon!


Cases in point.....

The best $1 I ever spent at a garage sale!

Brooke Says Buh Bye & Brady Is Our Browbeater!

Today was the last day of Brooke's farm school and it is just hard for someone to understand the concept that she is too big to go back next year. She is so excited about young fives, but has such an attachment to her teachers, I think it has finally sunk in this week that it was really coming to an end.....how do I know do you ask, ummm the nightly mourning she has been doing crying and hugging and hyperventilating about how much she will miss them. It just shows what an impact these teachers have on our children and how much they look up to them - so there were a lot of ......It's okay to miss someone, it will be alright, we can visit, they will miss you too, Brady will be going there soon and then you can see them all over again, etc....... So we managed to conclude the year end picnic with no tears today - we took pix of her with all her teachers so she can remember them - she wants to put them all in frames in her room, bless her heart......... The teachers were great and told her she could drop in anytime and just visit during the summer camps or next year. Some pix of her beloved teachers.......

Ms. C, Ms. Izenga (seriously the whole year and I still don't know how to spell it.....Ms. Pear and Ms Harlow.......

If only I could get a toddler to understand that missing someone gets easier every day because even though it's one day further from the last time you saw each other, it's one day closer to the next time you will........but before I finish that she is already asking "mom can I go out and play" sooooooo much for reasoning with a 4 year old.

I just thought I would include a pix of Nelly to remember - the ugliest cow on earth - what kind of cow has hair like a sheep dog???

and oh yeah we just found out her teacher at her other school, just turned in her resignation so as she is "pursuing other opportunities" we will be rocking a sobbing sad little girl to sleep and I am positive this won't be the last time...........(secretly I am trying to nab her for babysitting!!!)

Brady on the other hand has been sensitive to others in another arena.....it appears when lil ones get up in his grill at school he decides to bite them.......This occurred about 6 months ago when we took the binkie away, but now its back and I hate that he is possibly hurting someone, so we have been trying to do time out on the steps, but this kid kills me he doesn't cry, doesn't care - he just sits there with his head down and lip out and waits for us to come back - its takes everything I have not to go there and kiss him to death, nice punishment huh? Hopefully it's a phase, he might be cutting his molars, but no excuses -I just wish he wasn't so darn sweet when I am trying to discipline him.........22 months is way too young to know how to work your mother over!!! But it is working :) So unfortunately he now is a harden criminal and has a record on file at school and probably won't ever get a "real" job........(isn't this hilarious - an "accident report!)

Here's looking at you Kid.......

I hope the two of you remain friends and playmates forever....it is such a joy to see the two of you get along and care for each other. Don't get me wrong it isn't always happy go lucky we have our moments when the two have to go to their separate corners....trust me, but for the most part they truly enjoy each other. Brady constantly gives us the "where's Brooke sign" whenever she leaves the immediate vicinity of where he is. He truly idolizes her and tries so hard to fit into her world. Brooke sometimes lets him and this is my favorite time to sit back and watch.......She defiantly takes on the teacher role trying to teach him songs, work on his speech, show him how she believes it should be done. I hope she continues to clear the path for him and show him the way, because soon enough it will be Brady who will want to step up and protect his big sister~but until then I hope he always looks to his Big sis for some guidance.

There's no other love like the love for a brother. There's no other love like the love from a brother. ~Astrid Alauda

A day in the life of Brooke's Mind.....

1. Mom, Where in the world is Matt Lauer is sort of like Scooby Doo, it's a mystery that you have to solve.......

2.She is very attached to her teacher's (always has been) but one of her school's is coming to an end and she is an emotional basket case about it. She tells me at night that she is just sad about not seeing Ms. "fill in the blank" anymore and she just needs to cry and hug about it.....What will we do when she has a new teacher every year in "real school"

3. Mom I think I am going to fall in love with Addy.....

4. Mom you know who you should be nicer to more than your friends and your family?? THE EARTH...... you shouldn't even tear grass because that is like tearing a whole in the earth and then we might die. (are her Boulder roots rearing their head?)

5. Mom how come you never take me to see my boyfriend anymore? I really miss him (referring to "her Joey" who she hasn't seen in more than a year)

6. Mom did you find out if I go to young fives in the morning or the afternoon yet.....

We don't know yet which would you like?

Morning - if I go in the afternoon I probably won't have time to finish all my homework!

This last one isn't from Brooke but dear ol' Hubbie who pulled a "Munson" himself.....

While standing in line to get a picture and an autograph of some old sports hero he turns to the person behind him in line and asks "Do you mind taking a picture of me when we get up there" This falls under the "ohh I wish I wish I would have waited a few more seconds before I asked category" - Turns out the woman was Blind. wah wah wah......

Worst task ever!

Buying a car. Plain and simple. I mean you would think I would be all about it - it is "shopping" right? But not so much! There is nothing I like about it. Now I know this excites some people and they look forward to it...... but really I despise it. Everything about it:

The haggling, the research, the stereotypical sales person, the unknown in buying a used vehicle, the cost, the variety to choose from, the options, the warranties,the gas mileage EVERYTHING. Perhaps it's because I am just not a "car person" I really have no opinions on color, look, style etc.... I guess I request too items when looking at a car - good safety rating and can it get me from A to B. We unfortunately were in the position to purchase a car recently, and not for the fact that we wanted to - Good ol' Patty was laid to rest as Hubbie and Brooke took a digger from someone blatantly flailing out of their driveway and backing right into them! (No one was hurt :)) From the looks of the pix - it doesn't look that bad - but apparently a lot of damage underneath that the body shop even told us not to fix it......

So we were forced with the big decision mini van or another third row seat car...... and when it came down to it we settled on a good ol' four door sedan (it ain't a popular choice I know) but as we stare at the gas pump $3.99 today folks - unbelievable.....we asked ourselves do we really need an SUV or a MiniVan to haul ourselves to Meijers or softball practice for Pete's sake? I just can't stomach spending money on a car that will sit in our garage half the year since Chris works out of the house. Trust me if the kids car seats could attach to a moped we might have considered it. So hopefully this will carry us out a few more years until we get to that point of "hauling" kids, kid's friends, bikes, sporting equipment around town we will "sausage" ourselves in our lil' sedan and hopefully feel a sigh of relief when we are only spending $50 on a tank of gas (absurd - but true!) - But honestly I DREAD the next car shopping excursion that will come quicker than I could ever want!

Mama's Boy........

They say it's a boy or man characterized by unusual closeness to his mother and boy did they hit the nail on the head with that one! Brady bugs is my lil boyfriend and definitely a mama's boy! He is so insistent on particular things with me that I find it very endearing albeit very amusing! For example.......

* If he gets hurt, even in the slightest fashion, he will fake cry and point to his area of infraction and come over to me until I kiss the spot and then immediately turns off the waterworks and turns around to continue whatever he was doing at the time.

*He is very particular in how we read books - he must back it up on my lap and gets frustrated if my legs are not Indian style (oh pardon me criss cross applesauce for those of you who were offended) - he literally will pull one of my legs in if it is sticking out in the least.

*He is an early riser - which most mornings I don't mind so much because this is his "on time" he literally cuddles and boarders on making out with me for the entire 1/2 hour before we have to get moving for the day......I love that part of the reason I need to go up and take a shower is that he has literally coated me with slobber in attempts at cuddling and wrestling all morning.

*Most nights before bed we read and have a nightcap cocktail in the rocker while listening to some music and I am sure I "pet" and "coddle" him more than any human should - but last night as I was trying to make bedtime "efficient" he took my finger and just put it on his cheek and stroked it as I normally do then onto the forehead and the hair - it was like he was saying....."oh no you didn't just try to put me to bed without the relaxing finger massage......."

So I am sure that this mommas boy thing will become a problem if it continues at the rate it is when he is older and married but for now - I will revel in it and enjoy every second, because as with anything it will be gone before I know it.