Misty's 27th Birthday

Last week I turned 27, so Paul says that I am an old lady now. Which he proceeded to teach Ashton to say. Which he now does say. Which he has now generalized to the entire female adult population. So if Ashton happens to tell you that you are an old lady, take it up with Paul.

Ashton gave me a "little computer" (a digital picture key chain) and a bag of chocolate. Dominic gave me a Mickey Mouse card that sings - which he promptly ripped from my hands and has yet to give back. Paul told me to go buy myself whatever I wanted - yeah I know, he's a real creative thinker. Wink wink. My mom gave me a book which Ashton tried to return to the library today.

Paul to me to dinner at Mountain Jacks. Now we never go out. We never have a babysitter. I don't even know how to find a babysitter. So we usually go out when we have relatives in town to watch the boys. This sitter thing was new to Ashton. Paul arranged the sitter, a grad student from his department. Stephanie showed up and Ashton was immediately smitten. He turned to us, pointed at Paul and then me saying, "You and you leave. You (Stephanie) stay here build Geo-Trax," while practically shoving us out the door. I love you too sweetheart! I thought I still had a few years of being the most important person in his life, I guess I was wrong! He found his new love. He has asked for her several times since.

The next day, the boys made me a cake and decorated it. Wonder why I received a cake the day after my birthday? I sure did. Someone ask Paul. He claimed he planned it that way. I wonder...



Dominic helped by testing the cake before everyone else. Paul was digging out the sprinkles for Ashton while Dominic was wielding a spoon. He helped himself to a bite and must have decided it was good for everyone else to share. Ashton covered up Dom's hole with sprinkles and a giant glob of red frosting. They were so proud. So was I. Who wouldn't want a vanilla cake with strawberry frosting, red frosting, and just a touch of red and green sprinkles? Something must be wrong with you if you don't.

I had a great birthday. Birthday's just get better and better now with the kiddos pitching in to help. Ashton was so excited to give me my presents and present me with my cake. Not to mention saying Happy Birthday and Happy Mothers day several times a day since the big event.
His happiness and excitement not only made my day, but my week. I love my little goofballs.

Monty's Water Fun

My wonderful, wonderful hubby insists that I share a small tidbit of what life is like with Monty. Monty is the most high strung dog there ever was. If he is in the front yard playing and sees something that makes him wants to bark, he has to go in the backyard (behind any fence) to bark.

He's a pretty good dog. He won't run off. He behaves most of the time (except we can not get him to stop biting at the tv!). One time we were headed back to Ohio, and accidently left Monty behind. I know, it sounds horrible. We are the worst pet owner ever! But it wasn't entirely our fault. He is scared of long car rides, and completely understands that when we say we are going to Grammie's house, it will be a LONG car ride. The goofy dog stands for the entire seven hour trip. Anyways, we put him in the van twice! He jumped out the first time and we didn't see that he jumped out the second time.

Yep, we were driving along and all was good. We stopped to fill up before we were on the road and I had a Home Alone moment and asked "Where's Monty?" We immediately turned around and found him sitting, anxiously wagging his tail at our front door. Outside our front door! Any other dog would have run off to play but not Monty.

Another one of Monty's idiosyncrasies is that he loves water. Especially hoses and sprinklers. He likes waves too, but we are a little far from some out here. We set up the sprinkler just for him. He will play in it all day if we let him.

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The problem is not him playing in the water, it is what follows. I should have learned my lesson by now, but I had an airhead moment. After Monty was playing in the water, we all went in to eat dinner. He started dancing around, and I thought he just wanted some of our food. Then he ran into the kitchen and peed all over the floor. I guess it wasn't food he wanted! I KNOW this can happen, and yet it didn't dawn on me that the dog was asking to go out (it's way too easy to go up to a door and scratch or bark at it - it is much more fun to act goofy and stare at people expecting them to read my doggie mind). We haven't had that happen in years. Poor Monty was so upset by it. He thought he was in trouble and all Paul and I could do was laugh. The dog was so confused by us doubled over laughing when he did something he knew was wrong.

Lesson relearned. Whenever Monty plays with water, he must stay outside for a good two hours.

My Very Own Mud Bugs

I just love this picture. Here are a few of the reasons:

1. They are both in the same picture. A small feat for two young ones. You try rounding up my little monsters - I mean little guys.
2. They are both smiling in the same picture at the same time! This is a major accomplishment. One that may never occur again. Ashton always makes this strange face, kind of like he is in excruciating pain whenever I try to take his picture.
3. It was a candid shot. We would never be able to get them to cooperate if we tried.
4. And lastly, my favorite reason. It is COMPLETELY misleading. Looking at the boys one might think they got a little dirty. Played in the mud a little bit. No big deal. WRONG! The second we put the camera away, they decided to get their mud on. They were both covered from head to toe, inside of ear to belly button. The tub had to be drained and refilled while they were getting cleaned up - and it still looked like a mud pit when they got out. It took me hours to get the dirt out of their clothes and every random place mud landed in my house, and I couldn't get it all. But that is a perfect example of my kiddos. They love to be messy and dirty and full of new and exciting ideas on how to get messy and dirty. Those are my boys. I love 'em. I wouldn't have them any other way. Besides, if my boys didn't look like some version of that multiple times a day, what would I do with myself? I would have way too much free time on my hands!

Headland's Beach

On Memorial Day weekend, we went back home to Ohio. The boys got to play with their cousins and Grammie. More importantly, Paul and I got some time to ourselves. We spent TWO whole evenings without the boys! Yay! It may not seem like alot to some of you, but it was HUGE for us!

Dominic got to go to the beach for the first time. I love the beach, and really miss it here in Indiana. Ashton loves to go too. He thinks it is just "big water and big sand." We used to live within walking distance, but alas, now we live hours away! The water was still only in the 50's and it was extremely windy, but the boys had a blast.


Dominic decided to get wet in the freezing water while fully clothed.


The boys built sand castles and flung sand all over Paul and me. Ashton was wearing his Indians shirt because we were back in Cleveland Indians territory.

Here is a clip of Paul trying to teach Ashton how to make all of the seagulls fly away, but Ashton was a little too timid. They only sent some of the birds on their way.

I Haven't Dropped Off the Face of the Earth...I Swear!

I haven't blogged in what seems like forever. We have just been really, really busy. But life is now back to normal and I have a lot to catch up on. I have a bunch of pics of the boys with Paul during the week that I was out of commision. It was really cute (not to mention extremely funny) watching Paul take care of the boys by himself for an entire week!

They all played outside a lot. Paul tried to teach Ashton how to drive his powerwheels. The problem is, Ashton is too content being a passenger, he really doesn't care to drive. But Dom is too little to drive, so Ashton has to. He is finally starting to get the hang of it. He likes to drive to the park - which is right next door! I guess it feels like a big trip for him.


As you can see, Ashton thinks you only drive with your hands. Fancy footwork is just not in the cards for him!

Then the boys thought they would help daddy make dinner. Guess how it turned out?


I like how Ashton is concened with the mess of dumping over a little bit of the oatmeal Dom was cleaning up, but the rest that was all over the floor is for fun!

Because Paul was home with the kiddos so much, he thought it would be fun to get together with another dad at home with the kiddos. So they hung out with the Holdaways quite a bit. They took the boys to Chuck E. Cheese one day, and then decided to go to Prophetstown. All the kiddos had a blast. Ashton was scared of the chickens, but was chasing the sheep. And Paul had the pleasure of having a cow lick him. Don't ask - I wasn't there!



Paul came home with these cute pics of him with each of the boys. I think Dom looks more like Paul, but I swear it changes everyday.


Ashton and Daddy


Dominic and Daddy

Mommy Finally Loses Her Wisdom Teeth

On Friday morning I had the absolute joy of getting knocked out and having three impacted wisdom teeth removed. Oh the joy! Paul stayed home most of the weekend, going into the lab at night. On Friday night, my poor husband just got to the lab, and I called him home because I got sick and couldn't get up. After he came home to help me he had to go back, and didn't get home until 2:30 a.m. He had a repeat on Saturday night. Hopefully he won't be there that late tonight. He has been really great taking care of me and the kids. During my moments of cohesiveness (which I haven't had many, for I have been extremely drugged up - as I am now) my family has tried to cheer me up.


My mom sent me these Feel Better Soon flowers. Ashton loves them. When they were delivered, he couldn't stop screaming "Mommies flowers are beeeeaaaauuuutiful!"


Ashton painted me this magnificent picture to make me feel better. That is what we do in our house. When someone doesn't feel good and we want to make them feel better, Ashton paints them a picture. And it works. You always feel better when you recieve a piece of Ashton's artwork!

Thanks to all my family for being so kind and helpful. And thanks to my neighbor who is watching the boys for me tomorrow because for some reason it hurts worse the third and fourth day - go figure!

The Boys' New Room

Awile ago I promised my mother I would post some pics of the boys lovely new Thomas themed bedroom. I know it's late, but here it is!


Ashton and Dom in their pjs on their new beds!


Here is a picture of the Thomas the Train mural.

We had to move Dominic into Ashton's room for awhile because we were having work done in Dominic's room. Well, in the process of moving Dom, the crib broke. Kaput. I planned on waiting a little longer before we permanently put the boys in the same room and gave them a bunk bed, but oh well.

I was a little concerned on how Dominic would handle a big boy bed at 15 mos. He took it like a champ. Even better, they both LOVE thier new room. Dom can get up and down off of his bed, but he can't climb past the first rung of the ladder. I know that is a small blessing that won't last long, but I will take what I can get.


Dom laying in his new bed with both his blankies. Because one isn't good enough. He MUST carry both! It's so cute.

The only issue I have had with Dom is that he sometimes sleeps on the floor. We have even found him asleep under his bed (and woke him up by laughing too hard)! I don't know how to cure that. Ashton got a big boy bed at 18 mos. and never slept on the floor. He would get up and down, but liked his bed too much not to put it to use.



Ashton proudly sitting on his Thomas bed.

Because the boys' room is so small, it was hard to get good pictures. The whole room is decked out in Thomas the Train. Sheets, pillows, blankets, a mural, and wall stickers. It only took Ashton a week to figure out they were stickers, and he pulled down all the ones next to his bed. That's okay, we have three other walls filled with them!

Now Ashton's old room is the boys' new toy room! It is wonderful to have a place to put their toys instead of all over the house. I don't know how much they love it, but I absolutely LOOOOOVVVEE it.