I Make Cute Kids...

Here's proof:

Sometimes a mom's just gotta brag!

Tired Babies

Heat wave + long day + A/C in van not working = this:

Now, if this Summer weather can just hold off until I get the A/C fixed...

More Flags, More Fun, Six Flags!

Here are pictures from our trip to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (or- Marine World - as known by us old-timers). Braden had fun meeting all of the characters. He was shy at first but then had fun taking pictures with them.

Here's my favorite part of the day: THE DOLPHINS!!!

Here's B going on his first solo ride! What a big boy. This is just like the tea cups at Disneyland. Both my dad and I get sick on rides - especially ones that go around and around and around... ugh. I told him that I didn't want to go on that ride and he said, "Ok. I will go by myself then." And so he did...

Here's the killer whale, "Shouka." Braden has a little killer whale stuffed animal (webkinz) that he takes EVERYWHERE and he was really excited to see a BIG "stuffed animal." Although he knows it is a person in a costume, he was thrilled.

We went to Thomas Town, took a ride on Thomas the Train and took a picture with no other than the famous Sir Tophamm Hat. Braden and Gramps also road the Harold the Helicopter ride.

Here's Braden aboard Clarabel (the car that Thomas pulls). We all got to ride this, even Travis!

Too much excitement. Time for a nap!

Travis' favorite show was the sea lions. He was screeching and reaching for them the entire show. I think he was louder than the crowd cheering!

B and Gramps on a truck ride.

Travis admiring the truck ride from a safe distance with mom. He decided he needed a break from the stroller to stretch his legs.

Bugs Bunny's Chair

Too cute!

Here's another picture of a dolphin because... they're the COOLEST!

This walrus was AMAZING! Sounds weird, I know but he was rhythmically clapping his flippers for minutes on end (by himself - not for a show) and it was very loud even through the glass. He could squish a human skull with those things! Then he was also clicking his teeth, which made his blubber on his head vibrate and another distinct loud noise through the thick glass. Crazy! - You probably had to be there, but we thought it was awesome. Who knew walruses were cool?!

We missed the tiger show but had to stop by to see just how awesome they were!

I remember riding an elephant, here when I was little. I thought it was so cool. I think next time we'll let Braden ride! We'll be back in June. What an experience!

Of course, we stopped to see the killer whale show. Shouka was pretty cool. If you look closely, she's sticking her tongue out. That was the last big event of our very long excursion at Six Flags. We were definitely ready to head home after that! What a day!

Fun at the Park

While at my dad's, we spent a day at the park.

Braden hates the swings; and with good reason. About a year ago, his dad was pushing him on a swing and grabbed the back of it to stop the swing and Braden slid out of the front. It was one of those "baby swings" but didn't have a leg guard; just a strap that went from one side to the other.  This picture perfectly depicts his attitude towards swings. Luckily I warmed him up a little to the whole swing thing.

Travis, on the other hand, LOVES the swing! The higher he's pushed, the harder he laughs.

Braden's favorite thing at the park is the slides. He will always find the tallest one to go down. 

Happy Easter!

We spent a fun-filled vacation in Vallejo with my dad and his wife. We enjoyed Easter, my birthday and a fun trip to Six Flags (or as I fondly remember it being called: Marine World.) Since we had lots to do, I'll start with this post and work my way through our vacation over the next few days. 

 2 days before Easter, we went to the Jelly Belly Factory and visited the Easter Bunny. Isn't she cute?!

Here's Braden with his Easter goodies (or part of them anyway.) He was spoiled by the Easter Bunny this year. -Thanks for the noisy Truck D-A-D! 

Travi got lots of loot as well. The Easter Bunny must have gotten rich since I was a youngster. My boys made out like bandits. 

Gramps and Braden dyed Easter eggs while I went birthday shopping!

Travis enjoyed his Easter dinner just as well as the rest of us. Check out that grin.

All Banged Up

So, I went to go get my hair trimmed the other day and Braden thought he'd help push Travis out the door in the stroller while I went to the back of the house to grab something. Well, little did he know, it's hard work to push a stroller down 3 STAIRS! Bang! Braden called for me and I came running to find Travis upside down in the stroller at the bottom of the stairs. Luckily he was buckled in and there was minimal damage done. He had one little scrape on his nose and another on his chin along with a small cut on his finger. Braden quickly learned his lesson: DO NOT TAKE BROTHER OUTSIDE OR DOWNSTAIRS! 

While at my hair appointment, I got BANGS! Hooray! So much fun. Now my hair isn't always in my eyes and it's super cute!

On the way BACK from getting my hair trimmed, Braden was running down the hill (my hairdresser/visiting teacher lives a few blocks away so we walked) and BANG! He tripped and fell. Luckily for us (again) there was minimal damage done. Just some broken sunglasses (which were only 3 days old) and a skinned knee. Whew! One day and we all got "Banged up." Haha!

Other cute happenings:

Today Braden and I were talking about frogs and I asked him, "If you touched a frog, what would it feel like?" His reply was, "Mad." 

Lately he's been talking a lot about heaven and having an interest in the Book of  Mormon. He asked me if we could fly in an airplane to get to heaven. Too cute. Later he said, "When we squish bugs, they go to heaven." Every time we get in the car to go somewhere he asks to listen to the Book of Mormon. I have it on my iPod and listen to a chapter every time we drive somewhere. A few days ago, I changed from scripture to another, more upbeat, playlist and he said, "Hey! I want to listen to the Book of Mormon!" I LOVE it!!! He's so stinkin' cute. I can't get enough of his cute sayings. 

Here is Braden taking pictures with our old camera. He loves it! I've heard, "Say Cheeeese" more than a dozen times today.

I always go in to check on Braden after I tuck him in. It's the only way I can get him to go to sleep peacefully. So, I get ready for bed myself and go to check on him. He is asleep and I kiss his forehead and whisper, "Mommy's checking on you. I love you." I always have to whisper that if he's asleep because if I don't, he wakes in the night and says, "Mommy, you didn't come check on me." So, to avoid unneccessary night-time awakenings on my part, all I need to do is whisper that to him. In his sleep, he replied to me, "I love you, too Mommy." That's what life is all about, right? How cute is it to be told by someone who is asleep that they love you. I know sometimes he pretends to be asleep, but a 3-year-old can only pretend so well (eyes squinted shut with a smirk on face) and this time I knew he was out for good. What would I do without him?

Travis has also been "asking" me to tell him the names of things. He hits whatever it is he wants to know (chair, wall, pillow, etc.) multiple times with his hand and says, "ba." Whatever that means to him, I don't know, but it's his way of asking what something is. I will tell him and he gets a big grin on his face like he's proud that he's learning something. Either that or he thinks he has me trained well. Hard to say...

Why eat the food when you can smear it all over the place and eat the bowl?

Tentative Plans

Here's my disclaimer right up front: This blog is pretty much geared towards family (mostly grandparents) so if you find the details of my life a little boring, sorry; I warned you. 

So far the plan is to move to Provo at the end of August. I was going to start school here and then transfer to the same school in Provo but as it turns out, that school doesn't seem to be that great (Marinello's/Bon Losee) and it's twice as expensive to go to school here in California (go figure!) So, I'll be hanging around to get all the legal stuff taken care of and have plenty of time to get things organized and packed for the move. 

I'm one of those people who likes to go through everything and get rid of a bunch of stuff before a move so I don't end up with boxes of stuff labeled "JUNK." Needless to say, I'll have plenty of time to get that taken care of (provided the kids cooperate with me and give me time to do so.) The boys have both been major "mama's boys" lately. I can't seem to step out of the room without being followed, clung to or cried at. By the end of the day, I'm exhausted but desperately need "me time" to unwind without the boys before I go to sleep. By then, I'm super exhausted and the morning comes all too quickly! Oh well. What can ya do?! That's the life of a mom - and I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Here's Braden soakin' up some sun and playing with sidewalk chalk. 

He's been picking flowers for me every few days. What a gentleman! When they wilt, he goes out and picks more. He sure knows the way to my heart.

Here's my little hunk-a-hunk-a burnin' love!

Braden likes to keep up with current events and the economy as well as the latest happenings of Obama. Hahaha! He was pretending to read the newspaper and I caught a cute pic of it!

Soooo irresistible!