International Women’s Day – March 8

Women of all ages make up one of the most vulnerable populations in the world. They face violence, discrimination, lack of basic rights, lack of education and more. -FH

Tomorrow is International Women’s Day and we have signed up for the Walk to Empower Women. It is organized by Food for the Hungry and is this Sunday in Phoenix.

If you are in the Phoenix area and wish to join us we are team “Running with Scissors” (Meg I just had to borrow your blog title).

If you wish to support any of us, here’s our links:

Ezra’s page

Noah’s page

Stephanie’s page

Matt’s page

This was totally a last minute sign-up and we would thought it would be a fun family activity. Any monetary support is just icing on the cake. Thanks!

Funny Quotes X

“I have the hook-ups.” both boys say this when they have hiccups.

“My finger is all rumbly.” Ezra
“Rumbly?” Me
“yea the water did that.” Ezra
“Wrinkly!” Me

Ezra, “mommy I don’t know how to sleep.”
Me, “well you start by closing your eyes and mouth.”
Ezra, “but they keep popping open.”

“Duty calls!” – Firefighter Noah
“No, we say booty calls!” – Ezra

I was informed today that vanilla frosties are for when it’s sunny out and chocolate frosties are for when it’s REALLY sunny out and eyes water from the sun.

“Hey guys stop it! I’m trying to be difficult.” – Ezra talking to his toys

Ezra is flipping a coin and calling either rock or scissors.

Ezra, “we’re too young to go to garden school.”
Me after thinking for a bit, “do you mean kindergarden?”

Noah, “All that pizza made my tummy hurt.”
Me, “Pizza?”
Noah, “yea, pizza.”
Me, “We didn’t have pizza.”
Noah, “Oh.”

Snowball Fight

Okay we don’t get a lot of snow, or really any, but the boys really want snow. I saw an idea for an indoor snowball fight with paper balls and knew it would be a hit. We had a ton of fun and no one got cold and wet!

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Making pizza

I try to let the boys help me in the kitchen. It isn’t easy for me, it requires a lot of patience and more planning than I’m used to, plus the kitchen gets even messier than when I cook (and I am a messy cook!).

They really enjoy cooking though. Making homemade pizza was right up their ally! They loved making the dough, smelling it, feeling it, tossing it, tasting it. They also added their sauce, cheese and toppings but for some reason no pics of that part.

Yep Ez tried the raw dough
Yep Ez tried the raw dough
Ez tossing his dough
Ez tossing his dough
So much fun!
So much fun!
Noah's dough in the air
Noah’s dough in the air
Messy boy
Messy boy

Straw Connectors

The boys received these Straws and Connectors Kit for Christmas from Nana and Papa and they really are a lot of fun! They still need helping building an actually shape, but they can easily connect them by themselves.

After daddy built the rocket ship in the picture, Ez insisted on some wings for himself. Noah likes to connect them to make letters and numbers.

Rocket Ship and Ez
Rocket Ship and Ez
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Being silly
Ez and his wings
Ez and his wings

Sorry Noah I have no idea why you didn’t make any of the photos.

Yes that is an affiliate link, doesn’t hurt to try make a couple of bucks here does it?

Random pics

I’ve had these two pics saved on my desktop forever meaning to add them to the blog, but never have. They are from last February/March?

Super Firefighter Ez
Super Firefighter Ez
Noah driving
Noah driving

Shaving cream fun

I bought some shaving cream to do a science experiment I found on pinterest. It was a rainy day and you were supposed to use the shaving cream as clouds and food coloring as rain. It worked okay. Apparently my clouds were a little thick to let the rain come down. The shaving cream was much more fun to just play with in the end.

Excitedly waiting
Excitedly waiting
Noah's raining
Noah’s raining
Ezra watching his rain - finally.
Ezra watching his rain – finally.
Noah wanted to add more colors, he wanted the sun, moon, and the rain.
Noah wanted to add more colors, he wanted the sun, moon, and the rain.
Happy Noah
Happy Noah
He is happiest when he is messy
He is happiest when he is messy

Zoo Lights – 2012

Zoo lights are so much fun with 4 year olds. They really love the experience. The night we had picked to go it was supposed to rain. I decided that meant it was the perfect night because it would be less crowded. It worked out great, hardly any crowd and it didn’t start to rain until we were leaving at 8:45! It was the most fun we have had at zoo lights yet. The boys were able to run around, dance, try to jump on the lights shining on the walkways, and the talked to the talking Giraffe forever.

Papa and Ez
Papa and Ez
Noah and his favorite color.  RED!
Noah and his favorite color. RED!
The zoo turned 50 this year.
The zoo turned 50 this year.
So happy
So happy
another happy boy
another happy boy
Talking to the Giraffe, the boys loved him and he really talked to them.  We went back at the end of our night and he remembered them.
Talking to the Giraffe, the boys loved him and he really talked to them. We went back at the end of our night and he remembered them.
Riding a kamodo dragon
Riding a kamodo dragon
Thumbs up
Thumbs up
Papa and the boys
Papa and the boys
Papa and Ez petting the 'floppy things' (stingrays)
Papa and Ez petting the ‘floppy things’ (stingrays)
mom and Noah
mom and Noah
pic of a stingray
pic of a stingray
Checking out the lights
Checking out the lights
Ez taking pics
Ez taking pics
say cheese
say cheese
Noah and the umbrella
Noah and the umbrella
Mommy and Noah
Mommy and Noah

How kids handle their nightmares

I find it really interesting how kids handle their dreams and nightmares differently. We have entered that stage of nightmares and screaming wake ups. Actually Ezra started months ago during the summer. He would wake up thinking there was someone in the room.

So Stephanie found an idea from another mom, that we asked Ezra to take that dream, and give it to us. We would hold out our hands, then take the dream out of the room to “throw it away”. That really helped Ezra. He would generally calm down, and be done with it.

Last night was Noah’s first screaming nightmare. An alligator in bed. I think he has been watching too much of the classic Disney film “The Rescuers” featuring the bad characters pet aligator henchmen. So I tried the same thing. I stood there with my hands open and asked him to give me his dream. He said “Where?, How Daddy?”. I said from your mind, close your eyes and pretend to hand it to me. He does. Then as Im holding my hands closed, he freaks out “DADDY! YOU ARE DRIPPING IT ON MY BED!”.

Just so funny how one boy accepts the idea and thinks its great, while the other questions its logic, and if it will even work.

Ohh what did work you ask? I asked noah to describe to me the dream. I drew it. Black and white, with a lime green alligator in his bed. I asked him to crumple it up, He refused to even touch the paper. So I took it and made a ball, took it to the fire place, and burned it. He really enjoyed seeing the paper writher away to ashes, and I hope it helps future nightmares.

First Symphony Performance

The Phoenix Symphony has a series of Saturday afternoon family friendly performances. It is a great way to introduce your kids to the symphony. Last Saturday we went to Tubby the Tuba. I chose this performance because there was an instrument petting zoo before the show. The boys loved getting to play some different instruments.

First symphony.
Ez and the saxophone

First symphony.
Noah getting some pointers

First symphony.
Ez and the clarinet, I don’t remember what made me laugh. Probably my adorably, silly little boy.

First symphony.
Showing Noah where to put his fingers

First symphony.
Ez and the violin. He has been “playing” the violin all week.

First symphony.
Noah playing the violin

First symphony.
serious boy

First symphony.
Noah loved the cello

First symphony.
Noah really thought the seats were fun

The boys sat pretty good for 4 year olds. A few more complaints then I would like, but overall good. Despite all the complaining and squirming Ezra did as if we could go back. On the way home I asked their favorite instruments. Ezra likes the Tuba and Noah the cello.

Noah at 4

15 copy

Color: red
Sport: Basketball
Animal: Cow
Food: Bagel with cream cheese
Book: Firetrucks
Season: Winter
Restaurant: The restaurant at the end of the pier at the beach (funny I don’t remember him eating the food)
Holiday: Christmas
Weather: Cold and Sunny
Cereal: Cheerios
TV Shows: Fireman Sam
Movie: Incredibles
Candy: Cake
Subject: Learning to write
Toy: Firetrucks
Thing to do: Relaxing
Place have been: Arizona, Colorado, California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia
Place to be: Home
Place I want to go: Gamma and Papa’s
Person: Daddy
Hero: Firefighters
Time of Day: When daddy’s home
Song: If you’re happy and you know it
Drink: Chocolate milk
Treat: Candy Canes
Vacation: Colorado

Photo by Rachelle Tucker Photography

Funny Quotes – IX

I told Noah to let me know if he needed help. Then I over hear Ezra, “I’ll help you as a tattletale!”

Ezra talking about the cats, “they are great at pooping and they are great sleeping.”

Noah, “There are two of Micah and Judah and there are two of us!”
Matt, “Yep, they are twins and you are twins.”
Noah (looking at me and Matt), “And you guys are twins!”

I was resting my eyes while the boys did something involving “beibers” and “damage.”
Turns out they were beavers building a dam.

Me, “What are you doing?”
Ezra, “I’m up to something.”

The boys’ phineas and ferb cd has a song called “my undead mummy and me.” The boys walk around singing “my dead mommy and me.”

“Say thank you Noah.” – Noah
“Thank you, Noah.” – Noah
Nope I didn’t accidentally leave Ezra out of the conversation. He wasn’t involved.

Chickens come from chicken trees – Noah.

Ezra is playing a new leapster game and the game said something about hitting targets, “mommy, the penguins went to Target!”

“Noah be careful I don’t know how to sing.” – Ezra to the tune of frosty the snowman.

“I ate baby Jesus and the hay!” out of context Ezra

Me: You are going to celebrate Jesus’ birthday tomorrow at school.
Ezra: Is baby Jesus going to be there?

“Super Noah wants some make-up.” – Super Noah

Ezra heard the term bundt cake yesterday for the first time and immediately asked, “mommy what’s butt cake?”

Matt, “who’s side are you on?”
Ezra, “Noah’s, he’s on the right.”

Ezra brought me baby Jesus in a cup and whispered, “shhh he’s a baby angel.”

“I’m having allergies I can’t put my own socks on!” – Ezra

“I like daddy, he is funny. I like when he shoots my butt. He shoots my butt every day.” – Noah (with a nerf gun of course)

“Jesus lives in my tummy and helps me do good things” – Ezra.

Noah: I’m going to high five your face.

Christmas Day 2012

We had a lovely Christmas with Gamma, Papa, Uncle Jason, Auntie Michelle, and Abby! This age is so much fun at Christmas.

We opened gifts, then had a yummy Christmas lunch, and then played! Gamma had gotten all the kids and dads nerf guns. There was quite the nerf gun war with lots of giggles and screams. It was all fun and games until someone was shot in the eye. We now make them wear safety goggles at least until reflexes and aim improve.

The boys crashed on the way home and then went straight to bed!

I love how excited Ezra is for his brother
I love how excited Ezra is for his brother
Happy boy got a fire truck with actual sirens
Happy boy got a fire truck with actual sirens
Ezra got one too!
Ezra got one too!
So much joy
So much joy
Opening
Opening
More fire gear
More fire gear
Yea he's that happy about underwear.
Yea he’s that happy about underwear.
Yep him too.  Apparently underwear is a big deal.
Yep him too. Apparently underwear is a big deal.
Sometimes you need to get away from all the craziness and play.
Sometimes you need to get away from all the craziness and play.
Fire trucks
Fire trucks
Yep a riding one too
Yep a riding one too
Ezra LOVED Abby's horse.
Ezra LOVED Abby’s horse.
Silly Abby.
Silly Abby.
Fell asleep on the way home.
Fell asleep on the way home.
Christmas is exhausting!
Christmas is exhausting!