December 31, 2011

Happy New Year!

Dawson and Owen had spent five days at my parents’ house over Christmas break. They finally came home today and Doug and I were very happy to see them. We loved having the time away to get things done around the house, and my mom and dad love spending time with their grandsons, but it was awfully quiet while they were gone.

Owen was mad that Poppa and Nonna didn’t stay for awhile after they brought him and Dawson home, but I managed to distract him with a game of Angry Birds on my new Kindle Fire. Big mistake on my part because Dawson (who loves everything that resembles a video game) managed to take over the Kindle and has kicked my butt with the high score. It’s amazing how technologically advanced my kids are.

I gave the boys a bath and they got dressed to go to the New Year’s at Noon celebration at the Central Wisconsin Children’s Museum in downtown Stevens Point.  I’m embarrassed to admit this, but it was their first visit since they moved to their new location.  I was amazed at how awesome the museum is now.  Owen was fascinated with all the exhibits, but the Grocery Store was his favorite.  Dawson loved the News Anchor station the best.

We had a very good time. They did a New Year countdown at Noon that was quite noisy. Owen freaked out when all the kids began honking their noise makers so we moved off to the side to calm him down. Dawson and I loved the champagne, which was really ginger ale. We had a toast and then the boys continued to play for a bit.

The CWCM is having their 1st Anniversary in their new building and we might go back to celebrate at their party on January 7th. Plover and Stevens Point locals are encouraged to attend. It will be great fun and admission is just $1 per person.

Later tonight we’re heading to the YMCA to celebrate the new year with some fun, games and swimming. The boys are super excited. We can’t wait! Happy New Year, everyone!

June 4, 2011

Summer + Swimming = Sleepy Kids

Well, it’s June already. How the hell did that sneak up on me so quickly? Dawson has three days of school left and then I have to figure out what we’re going to do this summer. Even though he’ll be going to daycare with Owen while I’m working, I realize I need to try to spend more time with the boys when the weather is sunny and warm. My kiddos love to be outside and summer goes by rather quickly. We need to enjoy it.

Tonight I took both kids to the YMCA to swim in the Adventure Pool. After an hour of splashy fun I said it was time to go. Neither child wanted to get out of the water. I endured several minutes of crying and gave in to another 15 minutes. They finally agreed to get out because they were hungry.

When we got home Dawson and Owen ate as thought they’d been starving and they both fell asleep by 8:30. I managed to get all of my homework done online and now I’m wide awake. Swimming may just become our Friday night ritual.

Our summer is definitely beginning on the right foot. What have you all been up to?

May 22, 2011

Two Little Birds

I have the cutest kids ever.  No really, I do.  They are the joy in my life and I have every right to brag about them, yes?

Here’s some recent photo goodness:

They are growing right before my eyes and every day is special.  It’s so difficult to watch them grow up and become their own personalities.  As much as I love them and understand that this is part of life, in these moments I truly understand what it must have been like for my own mother to “let go” of her four children.

Dawson will be 7 years old in just a few months.  SEVEN.  It seems like yesterday that I was holding him in my arms and rocking him to sleep.  His life is no longer an off-shoot of mine.  He has his own life, separate from me.  He has experiences at school that I know nothing about.  When he gets home he tells me about his friends, what he’s learned, the emotions he feels when things happen during his day.  He is making his own memories and some day this little boy will be a man.  How do I get over the immensity of this fact of life that is staring me in the face every day?  Oh how I wish I cold slow down time.

Owen is almost two years old and I’m now realizing that everything I’ve experienced with Dawson is coming down the pipe with my youngest child.  My baby wants to be like his big brother so much, and it seems like he’s growing up twice as fast as Dawson is.  I don’t know how this is possible.  Owen is so full of energy and is always smiling.  When I look at his face I see how much he loves life.  I see how much he loves Dawson.  He is ready to conquer the world.

I can help but shed some tears.  I’m sad these little birds have to leave the nest some day, but I’m so lucky to be their mother and to watch them take flight right before my eyes.

November 13, 2010

TOO MANY TOYS

My children have way too many toys.  I just spent an hour in the room that Dawson and Owen share, sorting through toys.  I went in there to put laundry away and nearly had a nervous breakdown over the amount of CRAP they have.

Sure there are favorite toys like Legos and the little Star Wars action figures Dawson loves to play with, and Owen is mesmerized by the Mega Blocks, but still there are McDonald’s Happy Meal toys that are crammed in every corner, played with for 5 minutes and tossed aside.

We don’t go to the Arches that often, but we’ve acquired enough of those plastic pieces of junk and I’m sick of looking at them.  I threw them all in an empty box and didn’t stop there.  Things my kids haven’t touched in months also went into that box and I’m determined to take it to Goodwill.  I think I’m going to have Dawson come along so that he can be the one to make the donation.

I just don’t understand how my kids got so spoiled.  I don’t buy them toys unless it’s for a birthday or Christmas present.  In years past I’ve gone a bit overboard, but I quickly learned my lesson when I was the one picking up the damn things.

Tonight I found toys I haven’t seen before and when I asked Dawson where they came from he replied, “Grandma bought me those when we went to Goodwill.”

I flipped my lid.

“Does anyone NOT see the irony of this situation?  We should be DONATING toys to Goodwill, NOT buying more crap to fill this house!”

My husband just chuckled.  He quickly shut up when I gave him the death stare.

I’m just at a loss.  I hate giving away toys they love, but they can’t LOVE them all can they?  I am tired of tripping over Tonka trucks and Matchbox cars.  And those damn Little People! I truly believe they procreate at night.

And the Legos! Oh dear, God, the Legos.  If I were to count how many tiny-choking-hazards-waiting-to-happen-pieces I find on the floor each day, I could retire tomorrow.  It’s insane.

Is it cruel to just pack stuff up and drag to the curb?   What do you do about the toy situation in your house?