To long...

October was the last time I posted anything and so much has been going on. We made it through the holidays with happy kids and that is all I ever wanted. For me, they were hard but I was lucky enough to have my mom, step-dad, Doug, my brother, Kory and my nephew Seth here to help us celebrate. It was great having them here. I do have to say that I am glad they are over and we are moving on into the new year.

Nathan is doing wonderful in school. He is reading, spelling and writing. He is also taking a science class after school on Thursday's. He is going to be my bookworm! He just had his 6th birthday. It is amazing to me to look at him and say he is 6. He is so funny and smart. Lately, he has been giving me little notes that say, I love mom or Ian and Nate love mom. The latest one was a note that said, I love you so much I can't breathe right now. That one brought me to tears. It is little things like this that make me realize that we are going to be ok.

Ian is growing up so fast. He is starting to talk a whole lot more and will do just about anything Nate does. Ian can make me angry one minute and then have me laughing the very next. He loves to dance and I do believe I have turned him into an official blockhead. He loves to listen to NKOTB just as much as I do and we will sit on the computer and watch videos for a while. What can I say??

As for me? Well, I am officially a single woman and it is taking a little get used to but ya know, I think I will be ok. I am looking forward to going back to school, getting a job, moving out of this house and just moving on. I am learning alot about myself. My boys are what keep me going and I will succeed because of them.

I will be posting some pics in the next day or two.

Love to you all.

We love Ellen!

The boys and I watch The Ellen Show everyday together. Nate loves the Science Guy and Ian just loves to dance along with Ellen. This past Tuesday was Ellen's first show of the season and she did and dance with the top 10 from the show, So you think you can dance and Ian just loves it. We have watched it over and over. I was finally able to get him on video. I know that he is on the table but he wouldn't dance anywhere else. A star has to have his stage right?

It's been a while

Almost 3 months since I last blogged! So much has gone on this summer that I just didn't have time. Life in our house has been turned upside down since the beginning of July. The boys and I are now on our own. Mike has decided that this family is not what he wants and has moved on. He is still seeing the boys on a part time basis but the boys and I are crushed but slowly starting to move on. Anywho.....

The boys are growing up so fast. Nate started Kindergarten this year and is doing so amazing! We are only 6 weeks into school and he is writing all his phonograms, all his number to 20 and he can do the sounds of the phonograms perfectly. I am blown away by his progress and very happy he is adjusting so well. He is still very funny and everything is still a negotiation but he keeps me on my toes and I couldn't ask for a better son.

Ian, oh boy is he ever taking the term "Terrible 2's" to the fullest extent. He loves to tell me no, throw things and push every button I have. He is talking more and more. This kid loves music. He loves to dance, play the guitar and sing. I think I need to sign him and I up for a music class. No matter how angry I get at him all he has to do is climb up on my lap and cuddle with me and all my anger is gone. He makes me laugh and smile everyday.

We have a long hard road ahead of us but I know the boys and I will be ok. We are a team now.

Here are a few pics from this summer. Lots more updates to come! Love to you all.

Ian's B-day Party

We had just a small party at my dad's house to celebrate Ian turning 2 TOMORROW!!! WOW!! We had a fabulous time and I want to thank my dad and my sisters for hosting the party!He recieved many cool presents, including Mickey Mouse Clubhouse movies, clothes, pool toys, a play cell phone and books. Here are a few pics.




This is the cake my Friend Alisha made!! PERFECT!!

Ian is turning 2!!!

Ian will be 2yrs old this month! I cannot believe how fast this two years went. He is starting to talk more and more everyday. He has defiantly entered into the "terrible twos." He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Nemo! He is always doing what Nathan is doing. I love watching him grow and do new things everyday!

We are having a small family party for him at my dad's house on Sunday, June 14th at 3pm. My dad has a pool so if you are coming bring your towel and sunscreen. We will have food and cake! I hope you will be able to join us. Please call me or Mike for the address!

Nate's first pet...

Nate is now the proud owner of two goldfish! He has named them Phineas and Ferb after two cartoon characters from the Disney Channel. He is very excited to have them and Ian is as well. Ian calls them Nemo which sounds alot like Elmo! The only way we know he is saying Nemo is because he is pulling you by your finger to Nate's room where the fish are. Silly boy!

Nate is taking good care of the fish so far. He feeds them in the morning and at night. Below are some pics of Nate and the fish.

It's May already!

I can't believe it is already May! How this year has flown by. Ian will be 2 next month. WOW!! Nate only has two more weeks of preschool left and then 2 months off for summer! Not sure what we will be doing this summer...maybe spending alot of time in Grandpa's pool!!!

Ian is starting to say more words! He now says two, three and then runs, kinda like ready, set, go!!! My favorite thing he does right now is he will give me a Popsicle stick that has a joke on it and I will read it and he will laugh! I think it is so cute because he has no idea what I have said or what it means!!! He also loves to say, NO NO NO NO!! Gotta love that one! He also loves to sit in the backyard in the morning and talk to the birds (he calls them tweet tweets.) We have some of those big black crows that sit in the trees and make noise, so he sits out there and watches them and babbles to them. SO CUTE!!! Oh I could go on and on but I will save some for the next post!

Nathan is just getting smarter and smarter everyday! He told me today that we should take a city bus to Africa. I said well, I think that might be hard to get the city bus across the ocean. He then replied with, then we will take a boat!!! Ok, then we will take a boat!! I do believe he will be a lawyer when he grows up because he tries and negotiate everything. I love him but I do think that all day Kindergarten will be a blessing. He needs the constant stimulation and I need the break!! hee hee!

Everyday is a new adventure and some days I love being a stay at home mom and other days I just have to wonder what I was thinking! I wouldn't give it up for anything in the world!

Until next time...

Love to you all!

Just some random pics..

Nate loves it when he and Ian can be twins...they have matching Spiderman jammies and for Easter, Grandma Vicky sent them matching ones along with some Hulk jammies and it just so happens that Nate had Hulk slippers. Here are some pics of the boys in their matching jammies and the last one is just of Ian being silly!

Some new pics....

Here are some recent pics of the boys. Nate and I went and saw a play at the Tempe Youth Theatre called Rock, Paper, Scissors and it was great. Nate laughed through the whole thing. I think going to a play will be something Nate and I do often. Not a whole else going on, Mike is going skiing with his brothers this weekend and I am having a yard sale. Real exciting stuff I tell ya!! :)

Ian's new trick

Ian is growing so fast and learning new things...or should I say...copying new things!! He will copy whatever his big brother is doing. They are the true meaning of Monkey see, Monkey do!!

Ian's newest trick is to find anything he can stand on and push it to where he wants it, stands on it and gets into whatever he sees. Most of the time he is just wanting to play with the light switches so our house sometimes looks like a disco!! HA HA

Below are some pics of him in action! He really wanted a chip!!!

Just some random things....

Let's see.....

Nathan's paperwork to register for Kindergarten has been turned in and he is set up for a testing in April. He is going to go to Chandler Traditional Academy (Liberty Campus) vs. the regular public school in our area. There are a few reason we decided on this. The school is located right in our neighborhood, so he will not have to ride a bus. The school teaches a grade ahead and we think Nate is ready for that. He is one smart cookie. The school is very structured and the kids have to wear uniforms which I fully support. Not sure if he will be going to all day Kindergarten or if the state will be taking it away. We will have to wait and see.

Earlier this week Nate got his finger stuck in a door jam and ripped the nail off his thumb on his left hand! It was pretty bad and he cried ALOT but he is doing much better now. Ian was very worried about his brother.

Ian is a real handful!!! He climbs on everything, gets into anything he can get his hands on and will do whatever his big brother tells him!! I see a lot of ER visits in my future! Ian is getting a wonderful and funny personality. He loves to dance and sing. He has started making cute faces and looks. It is really hard to stay mad at him for any length of time.

I suppose that is all for now. We all hope everyone is doing well.

Love to you all!

Nathan showing his hurt finger.


Ian being a silly boy!

Super Bowl XLIII

Football is always a big deal in our house so we were all ready for the Super Bowl yesterday! Grandpa Ken, Aunt Kelby and Kalei came over along with our friend Celeste and her kiddos! We had a great time! We ate, drank, cheered and screamed while watching our AZ Cardinals play the Steelers.

What a game!! We are all a bit bummed that the Cards did not win but they played an awesome game and it was one of the best super bowls we have seen in a while. Of course, Nathan being the jokester that he is was rooting for the Steelers. He always roots for the opposite team!! Just a little joke between him and dad!! Even Ian would cheer and yell touchdown anytime we did!! He was so cute!

I intended on taking many pics but I was to involved with the game and forgot. Here are a few I did take before the game started!!







Mom and her boys


Mom and Nathan


Dad and Ian


Ian eating chips and dip! He loves them!


Nate and I made the cookies, the numbers are of some Cardinals players.

Getting so big!

Ian is now 19 months old and he is doing so many new and cute things!!

*says TOUCHDOWN and FOOTBALL any time he see football on TV
*can now make the sound like something is blowing up
*likes to sing Itsy Bitsy Spider (thanks to grandma Vicky)
*dances any time he hears music
*says,juice,please,no,pop pop,belly,toot toot,not nice and night night
*Daddy taught him how to give Eskimo kisses
*gets worried about Nate anytime Nate is in trouble
*will point to his bed when he is ready for bed or nap
*says his name and Nathan's
*loves to play chase
*holds up a camera and says cheese
*if you hurt yourself and say ouch he will kiss your boo boo
*when he wants you to sit next to him, he will pat the couch or floor where he wants you to sit.
*blows kisses and say bye and hi

I am sure there is plenty more and I will post them as he does them. I can't say enough about this little guy!! Love him to pieces!

An update on Nate coming next!!!

He loves his big brother.....

For the past couple nights at dinner time, Ian will not eat if Mike or I are the ones feeding him with a spoon. But, he will eat if Nate does it!!! Who would have thought that this would be the case. It is rather cute and makes me smile to see Nate helping his little brother. It is times like this that I feel so blessed to have my boys. I truly hope that as they grow there will be more times that they are there for each other.

Love to you all.

Vanessa