Bad Habits

You would think it would take more than a week to pick up a really bad (and annoying) habit. You would be wrong.

Grandma and Grandpa like candy. They always have a lot of candy. Fruit slices (jelly candy coated with sugar). Little candy bars in assorted flavors (think at least five kinds, if not more). M&Ms. Assorted holiday candy (chocolate covered raisins, chocolate peanut clusters, peanut brittle, etc.) You get the idea.

So after every meal (and sometimes in between), the kids got to pick a piece of candy for dessert. And now that's all one little (big) boy can think about. Candy, candy, candy.

Most of his meals this week have been on the light side, as in he eats about half of what he normally eats. And then he looks up, smiles and says to you:

"I ate all my food, now I have a candy!"

You look back at him. Because even if we're going to have candy, and that's a big if, this is not an appropriate way to make the request.

"I ate all my food now. I a good boy. I have a candy now? Please?"

That's a little better. It works some of the time. For now anyway. We're slowly weaning the kid off the candy. It's been a bit ridiculous.

Photo Flashback

First trip to the beach. (December 29, 2006)

Snow Day

Though I'm not exactly one to make New Year's Resolutions (if you're going to do something, just do it, don't wait until January to talk about it!), one of my goals lately has been less screen time for the boys, be it computer or television or game or whatever. More play, less watch.

The boys did incredibly well the first two days home from vacation. They were so excited to see all their toys again, they've just played at home. But today was a snow day, and they were here all day in the house (driving their mother a little crazy).

So I gave in. I opened up one of the Christmas presents we didn't get set up before we left on vacation - the new educational gaming system that Aunt Kelly and Aaron got for the boys. It was a hit, in case you can't tell. Connor likes to think of it as his game, so he played it most of the time. Xander played a little, but hasn't mastered the controls just yet (though he was telling Connor the appropriate letters during the games, which Connor sometimes didn't even know)! I'm sure Xander will figure it out soon enough. Sawyer, as usual, was happy just to dance.

We may have blown the "more play, less watch" goal today. We'll be better once the snow is gone. Swear.

Nine.

Together for ten, married for nine. Sometimes it feels like forever, other times just like yesterday. A lot of good memories, and a lot more yet to come.

Winter Beach Trip

As you may have noticed, we've been gone for a while. Grandma and Grandpa always invite us to join them on their annual winter beach trip to Florida, so we made the 12-hour drive the day after Christmas, spent a little over a week relaxing and unplugging, and didn't return until the early morning hours today.

The weather was cooler than normal, but still warmer than home. The boys don't sleep all that well away from home, but Grandma was always there bright and early to keep them quiet and let us sleep. There was a big screen television, a breathtaking view from the 18th floor, an indoor pool and numerous hot tubs, and a few good days of sun, sand and water with the boys. There was good food, good company and good times.

There are lots and lots of photos here, but I'll share my favorite one of each of the boys below:



This is what you get when you ask Connor to smile. Usually it also includes a very loud and definitive reference to his recent obsession, "Hot Wheels Battle Force Five!"



A smiling Sawyer, who wasn't too big on the beach the first day but seemed to enjoy it more the second trip. He was not a fan of walking on the sand, but loved picking it up and throwing it (as you can see from the sand all over him, even in his hair). He wouldn't touch the water, and had a lot of hands over ears moments. Sensory overload.



And the unlikeliest of water boys was Xander. He hates the pool, hates to take baths and generally is not a fan of the water at all. But he LOVED the beach. He loved playing in the sand near the edge, he loved wading in and letting the waves crash over him, and he even loved sitting down in the sand and letting it crash onto him. He even told us about it, over and over again, saying "Beach!" Pause. "Water!" Pause. "Sun!"