Inside the mind of Jabberjaws Justin

Justin: "Hey Mom? We need air to live. But if we didn't have air I would want to float around all day. Yeah. That's what I wish life were like. But only if we had air to breathe and could still float."

Me: "Yep- we have to have Oxygen to breathe."

Justin: "I know what oxygen is, Mom. It's air. And if I can find a dandelion to wish on, I am going to wish that we could float and still breathe. Can I?? When I used to wish on a dandelion, I always used to wish for chocolate ice cream. "

Me: "Oh yeah? I bet sometimes you got it too."

Justin: "No. Never got it. But if you see me eating a chocolate ice cream cone that you didn't make, it's just from my wish, OK?"

Me: "OK. No problem"

This was my morning conversation in the van with Justin, after dropping Andy off at school. Does it get any better? Really- I love hearing him talk about what goes on inside of his mind.

Wiiality

Wii. This thing is starting to get on my nerves. Wii, from sun up to sun down. No- the kids are not actually "on" the Wii that long. Give me some credit people. These boys of mine just have a great imaginations, and play the reality version of Wii. The favorites to bring to life are Star Wars and Super Mario Bros.

Today, I told the boys to turn off the Wii and go play something real. Legos. Transformers. Tag. Anything...just get away from the video games! Justin and Ryan went down in the basement to play Legos and Andy disappeared for a few minutes...only to reappear with a soup can that he had decorated as a pumpkin in school this last fall. It was filled with little squares of paper that he had decorated with a question mark on one side, and on the other side was a variety of things like a red flower, a mushroom (Big red one, or little blue one) and and green mushroom for an extra guy, and a star. He got his brothers together and they started to play Mario Brothers Live. They would draw a paper out of the can and act out whatever they picked. If they got a star, they were invincible. If they got a big mushroom, they grew, if they got the flower, they could spit fire. You get the drift here, right?? They ran in crazy circles making obstacles that were supposed to be the turtles, and skeletons, etc... that kill the Mario Bros. in the game. At one point, Ryan was laying on the floor screaming, "Help me! I am all the way Dead!" (meaning he used up all of his lives and needs to wait for the next game), and Justin was yelling for Andy or Ryan to "Come and pop me". So one of the boys would go over, tap his shoulder to pop his bubble and they would go on playing.

They were so in to this and creative. Let me tell you- those Mario Brothers better keep their eyes out for the new boys in town. That's right. The Luce Brothers. And why do I feel the need to have my text alert set to the Mario Bros. Song?? Like I don't get enough of it already?? I feel like singing "Liv-in in a Mario world!" Madonna would be proud, right?  Wouldn't you?

Have you seen me?

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MISSING:

Name: "Baby"

Age: 7, born in 2003, but adopted in 2007 by loving boy pictured here

Race/Ethnicity: Light Blue Ty Pluffie pudder bear

Height: 9 inches

Job: Retired

Last Seen with: Ryan, on Thursday morning. While attmepting to secure Baby under his seat belt strap with him, baby fell to the floor of the van. Since Baby's Grandma was driving, she couldn't reach back to save the baby- but planned to pick him up off the floor at their destination. Being the senile Grandma of Baby, she opened the door of the van, and now has no idea if Baby fell on to the parking lot never to be seen again, or if Baby's Daddy (Sweet sleeping boy above) picked him up and misplaced Baby in school, at a store, or at a Doctors office.

General description: Baby has poor vision (Due to chipped eyes from being chucked into the ceiling fan going at high speed) so he may be hesitant to approach anyone or anything since he can't see too well. His color has faded from a nice light blue to a matted dingy blue/gray. He is thin in his chest, due to sagging, but all his love sits in his belly. He has a long string that used to make up the toes on his little foot, that now dangles off his foot and makes for a very nice leash to drag Baby around with, by wrapping it securely around a chubby little finger. (But not too tight- Don't worry).

Additional Comments:Baby is loved more than any old adult can fathom, resulting in the printed out paper "baby" that Ryan is currently snuggling with at bed time. His Grandma is crushed, and feeling very guilty and can't stand to see her own baby so empty handed... like a little piece of him is missing. Though he is just a bear, he is loved and a part of our family. If you find him, please send him home. We all miss him very much.

Sore butts are worth the fun and belly laughs

Tonight was the first night EVER that any of the 3 boys got on a pair of ice skates and tried to prove they were hockey loving Minnesotans at heart. Jake and I had a hunch on how things would go... boy were we wrong! Andy took to it like he had been secretly taking lessons behind our backs. Ryan (on double bladed skates, so it isn't quite the same) just blew us all away. Justin did great but went into it thinking he would just get on the ice and magically, poof! He knew how to skate. Not so much.

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See, that is Justin's precious little butt about to slam into the snowy ice for the first time. He was definitely a tripper, er, uh, I mean TROOPER the whole night, and worked so hard to stay up on his feet.

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Then there was Andy...who somehow was turning and going places in his skates by the end of the night. I gotta steal our buddy Johnny Test's line for this one... "Woah! Didn't see that coming!" He did great- way to go Andy!!

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BUT, I've got to say that the biggest shocker of the night, was our little man Ryan!!!

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I know, I know. Skates with double blades on the bottom make it A LOT easier to skate, but he is 2 1/2! Let me have this minute to brag him up. He was wobbly in the warming house...I though that maybe we were making a mistake. Then... WTF??? I realized that about 40 minutes into our giggles, I hear this Skliiissshhh, sklisshh, sklisshh sound. I turned around to see Ryan's little feet in a blur.. think Road Runner BEEP!BEEP!. He is running. I stop, Jake stops, and amazingly, Andy and Justin stop and we all just stare. At Ryan. Running on the ice in his brand. new. skates. I say out loud, "And Ryan is running." He stopped his little feet and the stinker just kept on gliding- with the biggest smile on his face. Yes, honey. We are proud of you too :)

So we had a great night. Lots of falls, many on purpose, just because. And lots and lots of laughs and not to mention, a few proud little boys on our hands. When can we do it again?

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Grab a tissue- and get reay to see the BEST Christmas surprise that happened at our school yesterday

I just have to share this because I hope it makes anyone who sees it, feel as happy and amazing as it makes me feel. And I am proud to have my kids be part of such an awesome school!

http://www.shakopeenews.com/video_christmas_surprise-112

Potty potty in the toilet, who's the newest pee-er to get my floor wet?

I knew it... this day was coming. We had a trial day last week that went ok, but I didn't get the feeling that his heart was in it, so I left it alone until I thought he had more interest. Well, that day is today!

After getting Andy off to school, I was giving Justin and Ryan a bath. Ryan said "Oh! There's poopy in there!" My heart panicked as  my eyes darted across that bath tub looking for Mr. Hankey the Christmas Poo... but hmmm. It wasn't there. Then I realized he was trying to say it was IN there and needed to come OUT-NOW!  Well, that was a success... but how about the rest of the day. His biggest hang up with potty training has actually been going potty on the toilet, which is bass ackwards from what I understand is normal. Last week we had a little "trial" day in undies that went pretty well. BUT he wouldn't give up the potty. No way was he about to let loose on that toilet.

So today, when I went to pick out his clothes after his bath, I grabbed him some undies. He denied me...at first. He left the bathroom and came back in with the last diaper in his drawer, and told me he is NOT a big boy. What do I do?? I had to do something to get him out of love with his polka dot diaper. I told him that it was fine and he can wear the diaper today, but it was his last one, and after this one was dirty, they were all gone so he'd have to wear underpants. He looked at me and said ok... and THEN, a switch flipped and he ran out of the bathroom, and came back 30 seconds later with a pair of undies that HE picked out. He smiled at me as he walked over to me and got up in my face, poked his little finger at me so that it was almost touching my eyeball, and said "I'm a big boy now, Mommy!"

I was mush. He won- again. I am a sucker for these little short people we made :) And the best part... we have progressed to letting it all flow freely today... he is a bonafied toilet pee-er! I am happy and so proud of him. And he is just a little proud of himself too :) But, like when Andy lost his first tooth, I am a little sad. I love watching them grow and learn and turn into their own little people with their very own ideas and personalities...but that happening means MY babies are slipping away. Pretty soon, I will have NO excuse to slowly walk up and down the baby isle at Target. Right now I can blame it on the diapers. But soon- we will have 3 BIG boys. Who is gonna be my baby then dammit??

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Here's my new version of a nice golden oldie... "Breaking up is Hard to Do" by the Carpenters

Growing Up is Hard to Do.  By: Mom.

You tell me you're  a big boy.
I can't believe it's true.
Darlin' I'm not "Mommy" without you.
Slow down, dooby do, slow down
Come on a slow-a-down
dooby booby doo, slow down.
Mommy's not sure what to do...

Don't grow so fast, whats the rush?
I'm gonna miss the drool and baby mush.
It goes so fast and now I'm blue
'Cause growing up his hard to do

Remember when I held you tight
And I kissed you all through the night
Think of all that we've been through
Growing Up Is Hard To Do

They say that growing up is hard to do

now I know, I know that it's true.

Don't say, that this is the end.

Instead of growing up I wish that they were spitting up again.

You have lost, that baby smell.
Just one more sniff would sure be swell.
Come on baby, I'll swaddle you,
'Cause growing up is hard to do!

Which would you choose?

Beautiful Bay in Hawaii

Warehouse in perspective

Hawaii OR Ikea...
If you were asked on a very cold day, if you wanted to go to Hawaii, would you respond, "NO!!! I want to go to Ikea!!!" Well, I guess you would if this were you...

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Oh little man, you have so much to learn.