Catch up!

Hi everyone!! I've been sooooo lame at this lately and I truly apologize. I was looking at my sister's blog today and thought how great it was to catch up with her without even talking to her soooo......I decided that I could probably do that too! It's not all about pictures, right? There are so many great things that happen in our life that don't get captured on film. So I will do better and if I don't have a photo I will at least put it into words. So, I will do a quick run down now!


SAM
Sam is our creative child. He tells me something new and interesting every day and I wonder where his make-believe friends are hiding. I'm sure they will come out one day. He does not see things one-dimensional. An object is always three more things than it actually is. For instance, Kraft cheese is also sponge-bob, and my legs when laid back on the couch are a train track, but whenever he tells us these things, it's always, (get your deep voice ready) "mom, it's kinda like a ______". I will forever remember those words even if I can't remember the specifics, and love the fact that my child sees more to things than only what they really are. For instance, I picked him up from school the other day and he told me that he and Micah(BFF) climbed a rocket ship and went into outer space. I'm thinking how cool!! So the next day I asked him if he went again and he looked at me like I was crazy and said no! Like I was supposed to know that those things only happen on Tuesday???? Another funny was me waking up the other morning with Sam at my bedside, because my sweet, wonderful husband gave me a "sleep-in" until 8:30 (people, that is LATE) with his Woody cowboy hat, his Superman cape, underwear only and a wooden back scratcher telling me he was the witch in the Wizard of OZ. Nothing about him said Wicked witch of the West OR the Good witch of the East, but if he can come up with it, then I say go for it!!! Do you see what I mean?? Sam is on his on island but still the cuddliest guy that will NEVER speak to you unless you have been in his immediate world in the previous 24 hours. Shy??? Full of himself?? Defiant?? Rude??? WE HAVE NO IDEA!!! He just doesn't like to speak to people that aren't in his immediate circle. Even if MIMI comes back after a week he will shun her as well! Needless to say, I will not be leaving him for a while, for I don't want to be dissed.

Sooo...who does Sam look like??? Me, I say "titi", Mick's sister, Carrie Ann, is a dead ringer, BUT at the same time, pictures of my aunt Beth as a baby are so eerie because you think it is Sam. In fact my boss thought that and couldn't get it out of his head for two days, and neither could I!!!! It is crazy. Sam the one that will ALWAYS keep us guessing.


BEN
Ben is a very smart kid. I know that all parents say that but I think I should say that Ben is a very literal kid. Things are what they are, and he has to get to the bottom of it all. For instance, Dedge, you'll remember, we were staying at a hotel and Ben was pretty small just talking for maybe a year, if that. So, we had a chef come over to the table, with chef hat on and Ben asked him, "are you the muffin man?" Now, mind you Shrek was pretty big at this time but he is a very literal and serious child. I think he is wise beyond his years and frankly it scares me that he may pass me in maturity at any moment!! He is obsessed with Carson and video games, although he is a very gentle child and realizes that Gracie needs her time too, since they did grow up together, but they are kind of giggly and weird when they hug now!!!
Well..when we rarely go to a girl's birthday from his school, all the parents will comment, here's Ben, the little stud. And the girls shyly run up to him and it is a weird awkardness that I don't remember from pre-school, but he is apparently a stud in his school.
He is very good at soccer. When the other kids learn that he has just turned 5 and they are shorter than him, they are astonished and ready to teach him all their tricks. He is OBSESSED with hockey. The jury is still out on this though. Mick is hoping by taking him golfing this summer that we can get around it by that and keep going with soccer. But on Ben's wish list are playing, soccer, hockey, baseball, basketball, and football????? Anyone else have this problem?? He is full of energy and is always wanting Mick or me to play something with him. Which is turning Sam into a "poor" sport. Not sure what to do about that but any suggestions would be helpful. Sam will sit down or kick the grass and pretend he doesn't want to play??? I'm REALLY trying to figure this one out!!! help me people! I guess he wants to do things as well as Ben and gets mad or frustrated when he can't or when Mick and I try to help him but, like I said, we aren't sure about this one.
Ben LOVES his brother. They are best friends and genuinely enjoy playing with each other which is so nice. Now, don't get me wrong, they can fight with the best of them but for the most part they are very sweet to each other.
Ben is really into his responsibility chart and loves to help with everything. He chooses three jobs every week and is very excited to do the tasks. They are small things, some behaviors like no teasing, saying please and thank you, etc. but there are jobs like make the bed, clean your room, take care of the pets. He has so much fun with these things. He wanted to have the job of taking out the trash, because that is something Daddy does. He idolizes his daddy. When it's hockey time around the house, they put on socks so they can slide and pretend skate, grab whatever will suffice for a hockey stick and play hockey. Ben is ALWAYS Daddy and Sam is Ryan. Sam NEVER gets to be daddy. Maybe one day though.

MICK
Mick just got off of vacation and didn't want to go back to work. I think if we could swing it he would stay home full time. He does an incredible job with the boys. They are always out riding bikes, at the park, playing basketball, playing woofle golf in the front yard, it is always something. And of course the boys eat it up. He is so helpful cleaning the house, he is even starting to cook dinners some nights. Which is so helpful because we all know how the 5:30-6:30 terrible time is and if dinner is made when I come home, then I get to play with the kids and read and not have to put them off until dinner is ready. I have caught him watching Mr. Mom on TNT a few times and laughed, and he says, well, that's me. So funny! I better not come home to the ladies' poker games in the middle of the day. I also caught him looking up recipes on foodnetwork, I sure hope he tries out that lobster pie recipe. HEE HEE!
Needless to say, he takes a huge amount of stress off of me because I know how well my kids are taken care of and don't have to go to daycare. I love and appreciate him sooo much. Oh, he can be grumpy still but I know I hit the jackpot in the husband lotto!

ME
Work has been busy lately and I have had lots of video depos that have kept me even busier. I also picked up a side job of renting condos, thanks to my friend Jan, and am hoping to make some extra money that way. I try to do as much as I can at the boys' school. I hosted Ben's valentine day party, which was a HUGE success if I must say so, and on Thursday I will be hosting Sam's easter party. They light up and walk around proud as peacocks to have me there in their classes, so as long as I can skate out of work for an hour or so, I will continue to do it! Mick gets agitated sometimes when I sign up for all these parties or activies or reading, but I love it, he did however tell me that I could not be the soccer team mom, that I already have enough going on as it is! I think he doesn't like my crazy terrors around the house after the boys go to bed when I have waited too late to get it all straight and then he ends up having to help me! I love the weekends, especially if Mick is home with us. Most of our closest friends have moved away which is sad but it has left more time for Mick and I to continue to grow even tighter. We don't do much socially anymore just do things around the house. Last night we were making candles and we play a lot of cards. We do have family game times too where we play video putt putt, hockey table or Clue Jr.
Mimi has been a huge help for us, she continues to watch the boys when Mick is working. I know my bro and sis' are jealous, but move on back to Georgia I say!

We love you all and hopefully I can put some pictures up here soon for you all to see what we're looking like. I'm attaching one from last summer where Mick's softball team won the Fire/Police games and one of the guys gave the boys medals too! It was very sweet.