Our little Beethoven

So Tyler has learned Beethoven and I hear him all day humming(dun dun dun dah-dun dun dun dah) in more technical terms the first few measures of Beethoven's 5th Symphony. It's very cute and slightly off key! Well, it may be a bit more than slightly off key but..hey he's only two!

Ok the blog has been a bit slow lately so I am taking inspiration from Rachel's blog and posting a new favorite thing everyday. I was thinking in honor of February,THE MONTH OF LOVE, that I would post something I love everyday of the month. I'm starting today( I know, I know, it's not February yet) because the kids are both wiped out watching Ratatouille and I have learned that when both kids are quiet and not breaking something you HAVE to take advantage of it!

Andrea's Favorite # 1

Good Books!! I know this is a pretty general favorite thing but I love them so much I needed them to be my first favorite thing! Now, let's be clear, I am not talking any old book, I am talking about-make you stay up all night reading kind of book, change the way you see the world kind of book, make your heart break kind of book, help you fall in love kind of book, and make you go into the ugly cry kind of book. The thing I love almost as much as books is the library! I have come to grips long ago with the fact that I am a geek (in fact I think that's exactly what Preston told on my last trip to the library) but to me there isn't a place in all the world as AMAZING as the public library. I mean, were talking free books here folks...it can't get any better than that, right? I would love to tell you my favorite book but I can't...for two reasons. First, it would be like picking a favorite child...there are so many I love and I could never decide. Second, once I get started talking about those books that I love, you'll never get me stopped. Ask Preston, sometimes when I ask him if I can tell him about the new great book I discovered he actually has to set a time limit! So we'll leave it there...but if you are a fellow book lover you should join my bookclub. I am always looking for people to discuss books with and if your not a book lover...take a trip to the public library TODAY-I promise you won't be disappointed!!!

A face only a mother could love!!!

Today while I cut the missionaries hair, Tyler got into the fudge pops and- the picture says the rest.

These three boys LOVE playing together. Every time Ethan goes out to play with Tyler he always says, "Mom somethings missing." And when I ask what, he always replies, "Hudson. We can't have fun without Hudson!!" They love having a fun boy to play with next door.

I've been so lost this week. For those of you who didn't know Preston has been between jobs and home with me for the last three months. This was his first week back and the kids and I are like lost puppies. We don't know what to do with ourselves. I find myself checking the clock every 15 min hoping that it's time for him to come home. We were together almost every hour of everyday for the last three months and he was such a great help around the house and with the kids. They were totally spoiled, getting airplane and horse rides from Dad whenever they wanted and it was so nice for me to have adult conversation. I'm glad he's back at work...I know he was getting stir crazy around here,but we really miss having him around. I saw a cute little retired couple today at the bakery they were sitting and sharing a muffin and I was so jealous, I can't wait for that day to come. Hey we only have what...40 more years till we are at that point.

This is the guys outside of Deseret Book tonight. I needed to go in and the boys stayed outside waiting for me(those boys with all the shelves of books just spells disaster.) When I came out they were sitting there talking and laghing and it was too sweet I had to take a picture!

I always dream of the day that I will have the time and money to really decorate my house. I have a basket full of Pottery Barn magazines with pages folded over and pictures circled -in preparation for the day I will be able to do all that I dream of to my house. I discovered style house today on the Potterybarn website and really loved it. It's full of painting tips, style ideas, party pictures, and even show you how to stylishly hang your pictures(shown above.)Wanna see what I 'm talking about.Check it out here!

This afternoon Ethan and I had a conversation that went like this:

Ethan: "Mom I have a problem."
Me: " What's that?"
Ethan: "My tongue is growing too big for my mouth."
Me: "Huh?"
Ethan: "Everyday when I wake up my tongue is bigger than the day before, and my mouth just stays the same. Mom, this is very hard, I can't fit my tongue in my mouth anymore. What am I going to do?"
Me: thinking of an answer when Tyler(who,by the way, is almost 3 and should know the difference ) comes out yelling holding a toy camel in his hands
Tyler: "momma look. The dolphin, it swims." He splashes the camel in some water making it swim. He continues, " Cute dolphin, momma. So cute, baby dolphin. See?"

So... Some questions I have :

1. What is Ethan talking about. Can your tongue really grow bigger?
2. Why is my three year old calling a camel a dolphin...and should I be concerned?
3. And how does my adult brain stay intact when these are the questions I am asking myself?
   

Here are some of the questions Ethan has asked today.

1. "Are you standing up or sitting down when you die?'
2. "How many people do you think have ever died in the world? Like maybe 4 or something?"
3. "How long are you in the ground after you die before you go to heaven."
4. "What are some things that could make you die? Could not eating make you die."(By the way if you didn't know...Ethan doesn't like to eat.)

So basically Ethan must have discovered death today. I am not sure if it's the plan of salvation lesson on Monday or something said today at the fire station but it's definitely on his mind. This was just the beginning of the questions he's asked today. It's so sweet to see his little innocence and how baffled he is by this new found knowledge. It reminds me of how the world must look through their little eyes. Do you remember how fun it was to be little? The world is safe and fair and full of good. Everyone is your friend and germs don't exist. Your biggest responsibility is picking out your own clothes and your biggest stress is finding shoes to match your Barbie's dress, or in Ethan's case finding your perfect BLUE crayon. His curiosity today was a good reminder to me that we are supposed to be like little children. I wish I could see the world through their eyes just for a day... well, I guess I did when I saw the world through their eyes with the 200 pictures they captured on my camera...but that doesn't count.

Today we took a trip with Ethan's preschool class to the fire station. I've never been in a fire station before so I was just as fascinated as the kids. It inspired me to do and see more with the kids. There are so many things to do and see in the area and I am setting the goal for myself to do more exploring of Arizona with these two. They are at the perfect age now to go and do so much and I need to take advantage of that.


Then tonight the kids and I are alone,Preston is with the Boy Scouts on a camp out and the best part is that they have to dress up as Indians and cowboys and reenact a battle. Preston is in the Indian group and so we were scrambling this afternoon to make a costume. I am sure that he will be thrilled to come home tomorrow and see this photo...but I just had to. It's not everyday you get Preston in a costume!

Got Lentils?

It was a blustery day by Arizona standards and so we made a big pot of Lentajas or Lentil Soup. If you want to have some delicious authentic Spanish cuisine then try this. I will admit that it doesn't look too appetizing and the first time Preston, who served his mission in Spain, served it to me I was a bit leery but I can honestly say now that I LOVE it. It's one of my very FAVORITE soups and I could eat it every week and not get sick of it.

Spanish Lentajas
1 bag lentils(soaked 2-3 hours)
4-6 carrots diced
4-6 potatos cubed
1 peperoni stick sliced ( sold by the pizza pepperoni just in a stick)
1-2 green pepper chopped
1 large onion diced
Salt and Pepper to taste

After lentils have been soaked and rinsed add all other ingredients in large pot and fill with water to barely cover ingredients. Cook until boils then lower to medium and cook until all vegetables are tender. Serve with warm bread. (Preston says this part is very important. In Spain it's always served with a baguette and they dip the bread in the broth)

Now really guys, I promise I wouldn't lead you astray...It's Good Stuff and writing this entry has made me hungry...I think I will go reheat a bowl right now. Yumm!

Tonight for FHE we learned about the Plan of Salvation. It was so sweet to see Ethan absorbing it and asking so many questions. He was most concerned with death and making sure that he got to live with his family forever. We talked about judgement and explained that we could have our family forever if we went to the Celestial Kingdom...some pretty deep concepts for a four year old. So for the rest of the night every time Ethan did something naughty ie: hitting Tyler, he would then ask me if I thought he would still get to be with our family in heaven. He kept saying, "this is my last bad thing I do forever. I won't do it again so I can live with you guys in heaven." I explained and reexplained that we are always going to make mistakes, everyone of us, everyday of our lives, and tried to help him understand repentance but I am not sure how much he absorbed. He was the most reverent I have ever see him during family prayers( I suspect it had something to do with the whole living with your family thing.) What a funny boy. We'll see how long this NEW and IMPROVED Ethan lasts.
On a different note I am LOVING this weather. I am trying to absorb every bit of it that I can. It has been sunny and perfect this last week. Tonight after FHE Ethan and I went out to look at the stars. We laid on the driveway and talked. Ethan is getting older and I have so many mixed emotions about all of the changes I am witnessing in him. I am PANICKED about him going to school this fall. I know it's still months away but I can't believe my little guy is going to be gone from me 7 hours a day surrounded by strangers. I don't know how all you mom's do it!!! But the part that I am loving about him growing up is being able to communicate with him. Tyler is still at a pretty primitive level, " I want a drink," "My tummy hurts," but now Ethan and I can really talk and it's one of my favorite parts about being a mom. I love getting to know his little personality and see what he's inherited from me, from Preston and what's uniquely his. He's a good boy and I am so grateful to have him.

Yesterday I was making bread and took off my wedding ring so not to get dough stuck in it. Well, later when I was done and went to retrieve my ring...you see where this is going. Yep your right, the ring was GONE. I asked the kids and Ethan said that he had been playing with it but put it right back on the counter when he was done. "Yeah right", I thought. So I began quizzing Ethan and he insisted that he thought he had put it back. I made him retrace his steps for the day and still no ring was found-I was panicked!!!Well, then I began the interrogation -I felt like I was playing good cop /bad cop with him except their was no good cop. He still insisted that he had returned it and asked me to believe him. When out of the corner of my eye I saw something sparkling in Tyler's mouth....again you see where this is going. Yep, it had been in Tyler's mouth the whole time. I told Ethan I was sorry but I still feel so bad that I hadn't believed him. I also feel SO grateful that Tyler hadn't swallowed it-that could have been a disaster. We may have searching diapers(yes he is in diapers again) for a week!!!

Tyler is a good monster because....

Ethan asked this morning,"Can we have Hudson over...and play monster. Tyler is the best monster cause he's always drooling."
This isn't the first time someone has noticed Tyler drooling. I had a speech therapist ask me once, "Does he always drool this much?" The answer to the question is YES!! Tyler is drooling all day every day. His shirt is constantly wet and there are drool stains on his pillows, my couches and and all his clothes. He's always thirsty which is understandable considering he loses so many fluids. Poor little Tyler destined to a life of monsterhood all because of your drooling!

Hiking into the New Year!!

Thanks to yesterday I truly believe the best way to start off the new year is with a hike. We went to Picacho Peak on New Years Day with the Orton's and it was great. Kelly kept saying,"Aren't you glad we didn't just sit home all day?" YES!!!! The kids loved it, the weather was great, and of course with the Orton's we are always entertained...especially when Dave gets on the swing set was definitely built in the 1800s!

The Grownups enjoying the swings...check out Dave he's really going.

Tyler got into the Cheetos on the way home...