Not a Morning Person

As most of you know I am not a morning person at all. I could easily sleep until 8:30 every morning if my kids would let me. So some mornings when I feel as if I simply can't bear to get out of bed, this is what we end up with.For some reason, I always make myself believe that they are going to cuddle up and go back to sleep and thus let me sleep. But after about 30 seconds, this is what starts to happen.And then I have to get up. Sigh... I guess it is what I signed up for.

So Cruel

This is the "How could you do this to me look". Okay, so the look is actually because a few seconds earlier he had scaled half way up the gate and fell down and was pretty ticked about it. I was trying to get a picture of him climbing up the gate with his little toes in holes.
The gate is up because Benton has been banned from the kitchen while I am cooking. And this is for two reasons.

Reason #1: While my back was turned he pulled a stool up to the stove and climbed up and grabbed a burned that wasn't on, but was still a little hot from having been on recently. (Don't worry, it wasn't hot enough to actually burn him, just scared him.)

Reason #2: He really, and I mean REALLY likes to play with the lids to the Ziploc food containers while I'm cooking. It gives him something to do while I'm pretty much ignoring him. I also have some nice glass bowls that have lids for when you take them somewhere, which for me is fairly frequently. The lids to the glass bowls have gone missing and I'm sure they got thrown out as he has a propensity toward throwing things in the garbage. I have had to pull many a sippy cup out of the garbage. He thinks that that is where everything belong when he decides he is done with it.

That's what brothers are for

Tab and Benton have really been enjoying wrestling together lately. I think it has a lot to do with Dad coming home from school and dropping to the ground and wrestling with the boys. They can't seem to get enough and have given to wrestling each other while dad is gone. Poor Benton is always stuck under Tab.Benton usually thinks it is hilarious... that is until it isn't anymore and then it really isn't.

StillAbration

StillAbration is probably one of my favorite activities that the school puts together for students and faculty and their families. It is an all free event. The afternoon started by us taking the boys to a bunch of kids games that they had set up. It was a cowboy/western sort of theme and it was so fun for the boys. Tab was really excited to get to wear his cowboy costume from last Halloween again.They also had horse rides for the kiddos. Tab absolutely loved it.Benton thought it was pretty neat too.That is until it started moving. Although for some reason the horse didn't like us so much and was being a little rowdy.Then we ran into the Jackson or Jacks as Tab like to call him. These boys are the best of friends. I just had to snap this picture. They kill me.Aren't they cute? Poor boys, someone should teach their mom's to buy them hats that fit.And of course they had to go on a ride together.Then Tab got to rope some "cattle".The school had a big fire pit going for marshmallow roasting and so the boys got some yummy smores.After this we had dinner, but we were so preoccupied with stuffing ourselves that I forgot to take a picture. Following dinner they had a talent show. Benton was really enjoying watching people sing and such. Tab on the other hand was a little preoccupied telling people to stick 'em up.After the talent show they had a dance. Benton really enjoyed it for a little while.This is his favorite part. He loves to be upside down.Every time I would bring him back up he would kick off of me and throw himself backwards again.Benton and I sure had a good time hanging out.
Jason and Tab got some good moves in too.
Jason and I thoroughly enjoyed dancing together.Believe it or not Benton fell asleep in my arms while we were dancing. He was pooped.Luckily we had a good friend who wasn't dancing and she held Benton for us for a little while so we could enjoy a little more dancing before we headed home at the late late time of 9:00.

If I've told you once...

I've told you a thousand times, the stove is hot! I guess Tab finally decided that he needed to discover for himself just how hot the burners on the stove are. I was cooking dinner and had just taken a pot off of the stove and Tab reached up and grabbed the burner. (I think he was trying to use it to climb up to try to unlock the fridge). I saw out of the corner of my eye and yelled, but I wasn't quick enough.
I would like to say that he has learned his lesson, but he has a way of needing to learn things the hard way more than once.

Flying High

Jason recently bought one of those balsa wood rubber band airplanes for Tab. They had so much fun with it.
Every day when Jason would get home, Tab would beg for him to fly the airplane with him.

His McQueen Trailer

I know that this is a little old, but I'm trying to catch up from not having had my computer for 3 months, so bare with me.

After several months of saving his money, Tab finally earned his McQueen Trailer. He has wanted this silly toy forever and finally got it. He was just ecstatic about the whole thing.Here he is with McQueen and his "money place" in hand. Off to the cash registers.Sadly, at this point the battery in my camera died. He was so cute putting each dollar and penny into the slots of the Self-Check Out.

Airplanes to the Moon?

Tab just loves airplanes. One day while we were outside playing he say an airplane "trail". He saw how close it went to the moon and thought that it was pretty neat. He asked me to take a picture of the moon.

Tykes on Bikes

Benton really is obsessed with the Tricycle that he inherited from Tab. He is always trying to get outside to play with it. The only problem is he can't really get around on it by himself and that tends to get him a little frustrated. One day, Tab decided to help him out. I thought that it was pretty cute.

Truman Football Game

While Jason's parents were in town over Halloween, we headed across the street to a Truman football game. Tab really liked watching it at first but got annoyed that I wouldn't let him stand on the railings at the front of the bleachers to get a better view. He especially liked when the lady behind us let him play with her cow bell. And of course there was popcorn.

During half time when the marching band was playing, Grandpa took Tab up to the top of the bleachers to watch. Apparently he didn't want to come down until all of the music was over.

Benton got the biggest thrill out of climbing up and down the stairs and making me chase after him down the aisle. He was a pretty big fan of the popcorn and water bottle too.

AAOA Convention in Las Vegas

My friend, Janae', and I went to the AAOA (Advocates for the American Osteopathic Association) convention from Oct. 26-29th in Las Vegas. We were super busy the entire time but still had a blast. We learned a lot and were proud to represent the ATSU-KCOM chapter of SAA (Student Advocate Association). I have to put in a quick thank you to my mother in law, Margie. I couldn't have gone without her coming to watch the boys.

When we got in, we dropped off our stuff in our hotel room and went over to the SAA dinner at the Grand Lux Cafe.

The AACOFP(Advocates for the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians) was kind enough to sponsor the dinner for us. We got to meet so many of the fabulous women we work with over email who really help our organization to thrive and be successful. The food was incredible. While we were there, Janae' and I were able to sit with one of the other members of our organization, Ruth, who is living in Michigan during their 3rd and 4th year. It was so awesome to see her again. we were able to catch up and she was able to provide us with a few great suggestions about some of the issues we had been facing. Thanks again Ruth.

Unfortunately Janae' and I didn't really have a ton of time to enjoy ourselves and look around. We must have walked by this waterfall at least 2-3 dozen times and once we finally decided that we needed to stop for a moment to enjoy it. Isn't it incredible?

It was interesting how every evening there were different types of performers out and about in the hotel. These ones were incredible.

We had the opportunity to go to the ATSU-KCOM Alumni reception one evening. We spent quite a bit of time talking to Craig Phelps, D.O. (who is the team doctor for the NBA Phoenix Suns and the WNBA Phoenix Mercury) about the various stages of life through med school and after med school. He was able to offer us a lot of great advice. It was a fairly formal event, so we got the chance to get dressed up. That doesn't happen too often with kids around, lol. So, Janae' and I had someone snap a picture for us. It isn't great, but what can you expect from a tourist who doesn't speak English very well? And don't ask me why I bent my knee like that.

What can I say, he just loves bath time.

Benton love love loves the bath. One night when I was taking the boys in for their bath, Benton decided he was ready even if I wasn't ready for him, so he climbed right in. I asked Tab to run and grab the camera. Tab came in, turned the camera on and took the picture. Thanks bud. He caught him just a hair to late as we was trying to climb back out.

Halloween at Last

I finally was able to get our Halloween pictures loaded. (No, I don't have my computer back...sigh) I'm sorry they are so late, but I hope that you will forgive me.

The Student Advocate Association (the spouses group that I'm a member of) had a trunk or treat. So we took the boys to that. After Benton got a few pieces of candy he mostly wanted to run around in the truck. He most certainly did not want to pose for a picture.

I tried to get a picture of Tab while he was going from car to car but he was just too focused on the next person who was going to give him candy.

I finally got him to give me a good cheeser after he was done.

After the Trunk or Treat we went straight to our little town square where a bunch of the local businesses/Dr.'s offices were handing out candy and glow sticks and such. The Home Depot guy was there and Tab said he wanted to take his picture with him. But I couldn't get him to stand any closer to the guy. After I took the picture he asked something to the effect of, "what is wrong with that guy". I wasn't sure how to respond as I couldn't get him to tell me what he was referring to.

After we got home from that and before we did the real Trick or Treating, I tried to get a few good pictures of the boys in their costumes. This was the best we could do. They were NOT interested in posing together. Tab was Sir Topham Hatt from the Thomas and Friends train videos and toys. I made his yellow vest and black corduroy jacket.

Benton was a turtle. I made this turtle costume for Tab when he was about 5 months old. It was plenty big on him, so Benton got to wear it this year! Yay for reusing a costume! I'm just proud of this one because it was the first thing I really ever sewed for Tab and I made it from a patern for a ladybug with just minor alterations.

Finally, I made them their Trick or Treat bags this year too. Tab's had a train and Benton's a turtle, for obvious reasons. I made Tab's in hopes that he would start using this bag to haul his trains around the house instead of his cowboy hat that he has massacred by doing so.

I'm sure that you can figure this one out...

Jason found this in his drawer about a month ago.