Feast of Famine

It seems that either you get no posts for a week (or more) or two in one day. Here are the pics of the garage and kitchen. The kitchen is DONE. The doors are hung with handles on every single one. All the painting, touch up, tile, laminate, cabinets....everything is done!!!! This project took nearly a year as we redid every inch of the kitchen. I will think twice before doing it again (alright, we all know that is lie).

While the tile is more brown than we thought, it looks just fine. It is hard to tell from the pictures, but the counters are more grey. When we bought the tile, it looked grey...but, we have now learned that if you buy a natural stone tile you should clean it before deciding to lay the tile. Lesson learned.

Rob also cleaned the garage. We did not take a before picture, but let me assure you it was terrible. We couldn't walk in there much less fit a car. Now there is a car and still room to work (right now Rob is selling stuff on EBAY). I am so proud of him for getting this done; it was truly a monster project that we did not want to tackle.

Gak

http://ellen.warnerbros.com/2008/02/steve_spangler_do_not_try_this.php

This video is so cool. It is about Gak and the crazy things you could do if money and time were never an option. I wonder if we could do a playgroup at the house and have everyone bring like 20 boxes of Corn Starch to make it work.

Anyways, if you don't do Gak with the kids, look up a recipe on line and try it out. Very cool.

5 Silly monkeys....

jumping on the bed. One fell off and broke his head.


So, this is not a picture of my kitchen or garage.



As we were getting the boys ready for bed...a wrestling match on a good night...Anthony insisted on jumping on his bed despite repeated warnings. He lost his footing, fell forward and cracked his head on the eyebrow. It did not need stitches, but may still leave a bit of a scar. Oh well, boys will be boys...and I know this is not the last head bump we will have.

Remember When...

Vacation used to mean you went somewhere fun and enjoyed yourself. Rob took this week for vacation so we could get the house projects done. But I am happy to say that we have a clean (squeeky clean) garage and a new backsplash in the kitchen.

I will try to post pics soon.

Home at last

Never again will I fly with two kids on the midnight flight where one is a lap child. Had it not been for the nicest UPS pilot on earth we would have had a miserable flight. Evan Haynes was a UPS pilot hopping on Alaska down to Seattle. Instead of taking the infant blocked seat, he road in the cockpit jumpseat for 3 hours to let us stretch out. So, the next time someone asks "What has Brown done for you?" you can tell them my story.


For Memorial day, we had some friends over. It was really nice and low key.

Anthony and his good friend Alex

Today was finally nice enough for us to pull out the water table. Here are the pics. Yes, Anthony soaked Gabe and Gabe just laughed as his brother did it.

Last of Alaska

Well, we had a great time. I got to see a lot of old friends, and the boys had a blast. Here are the last of the pictures.

Kenna and Nara

Anthony and Kylin ready to go on a walk around the block

The kids eating...big surprise

With Oma and Opa (Kathy and Charles)

Making silly faces with Opa

Alaska Continued

The boys and I continue to have a great time in AK. We spent the morning with Kathy and Charles just putting around. This is after I went to the emergency room for a rash on my face. Lesson learned: don't use banana boat sunscreen...makes me break out...who knew?!?


Then we went swimming with Tammy and the kids. I will try to get some pics of them from Tammy later.


But the best part about the day was riding on the tractor that a friend of Charles' left parked in the driveway. Boy, nothing beats a good day on a tractor.

After Kathy took the boys for a wagon ride.

For the finale, we had steak and corn on the cob. Prior to this day they did not eat the corn off the cob, but Gabe now thinks this is the greatest joy on earth. And Anthony learned to pick the last of the steak off the bone...watch out dad, no more left overs for you.

On Location

Hi! We are here in Fairbanks...I know most of you thought I would never come back. But it is beautiful summer/spring and we are having a wonderful time. The boys are enjoying playing with Oma and Opa (aka Kathy and Charles). I have seen a ton of old friends. Nara and baby Kenna are doing great. Kylin is, well, Kylin...full of energy and independence. Anthony, Ky, and Gabe are getting along famously. I will feel guilty leaving on Friday. I hate taking the kids away from good friends.


Anyways here are some pics. Hopefully I will be able to get a few of the kids all together before we leave.

Kylin Riding Her Tricycle

I Wanna Be Like Mike

Share...And Share Alike

Gabe Coming Up the Slide

Happy Mother's Day

Today we went to breakfast and then played at the park. A perfect day for me. Rob is now busy doing yard work and I am just taking it easy. Here are some pics of the boys and me. Anthony started hurrling himself head first down the slide so Gabe just followed. Gabe nearly face planted because he launched before we could get to the bottom to catch him...this would deter many kids, but not Gabe.

Another New Skill

So, many of you have listened to the saga of our house. We are now about to embark on yet another new skill. After finding out that building a laminate backsplash for the kitchen was really, really hard, we have decided to tile the backsplash. Wish us luck.

I have been tagged by Jennifer. She posted 7 random things about herself on her blog and then tagged 7 people to do the same. Here are the rules if you decide to participate:
1. Link your post back to the person who tagged you.
2. Share 7 random facts about yourself.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post.
4. Let them know that they have been tagged.
5. If you don't participate, you have bad luck for 7 years...or not, but you'll miss out on the laughs.

1. I love going to school. I miss not studying, and all the new schools supplies.
2. I hate digging for worms...this may seem strange as it is all I do with my two boys.
3. I hate cleaning my house. I can always think of a million other things to do rather than clean.
4. I love to move. We know we are moving again in Jul 09, and I am already planning and thinking about it. I get butterflies just thinking of the new possibilities.
5. I enjoy home improvement projects, especially if there are power tools involved.
6. I despise it when my husband doesn't put things away. It makes me nuts to find his tools, clothes, dishes anything just laying around. I think it is because I spend all day picking up other peoples stuff.
7. I like staying home with my kids. Believe me, no one is more shocked than me...I always thought I would work after having kids. But, it is so great to watch them grow and learn new things.

Sorta Spring

So we have had a few nice days recently. Sunday and Monday were awsome. We got a ton of projects done. I am almost done with the doors for my cabinets (hopefully before Mother's Day) and the back splash for the countertops should go in tonight. We finished all the touch up paint...Rob is now a master at remaking a wall to look like nothing ever happened. The downside to fixing everything up is that now we can see how crummy the stuff we haven't fixed really is.


Rob and the boys also worked in the yard on Sunday. They love helping their dad. Anthony of course spent nearly the entire day digging for worms. He likes to pick them up, then let Gabe hold it, then take it right back. The sharing concept is still a little hard for him, and Gabe is completely oblivious to sharing or taking turns.

Rob and Anthony working in the yard

On Mon, we went with the MOMS Club to a local Mexican restaurant that has a swing set in the patio area for kids to play. The food was mediocre at best, but the swing set is a great idea. I actually got to eat my meal.

Gabe snacking and supervising me work

Gabe peaking out from the swing set at lunch

AHHHH...2 year olds

Anthony has been in prime form this week. I have all but discontinued treats because he continues to pee everywhere in the bathroom but the toilet. GRRRR.

Gabe has decided to enter the terrible twos at the ripe age of 15 months. GRRRR again.

I am attributing most of this behavior to the fact that we have been a little sick and unable to play outside much. However, tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and 65 (nice for us) and I plan to spend the entire day in the warmth and sunshine.

Last week the boys planted seeds with our neighbor and the first sprouts just appeared. Anthony is so proud of the plant he made.

Oh well, back to laundry. Yippee!

Busy Week...Almost 2

My mom got here a week ago and we have been super busy. I got a ton of things done around the house. Most of all, the boys had a blast playing with her. We took Gabe to Baby, dug in the garden, and went to the zoo. We lucked out at the zoo...it was beautiful and sunny and the kids got to see the Beluga Whale show. Anthony is still talking about the whales jumping.

Gabe Watching the Whales

Grandma and her boys

Anthony counting the monkeys

Watering the flowers in the rain

Eating at our "inside" table

Mommy's Little Helper

On Mon, Anthony is at school in the mornings. I decided to try and do some chores, and to my delight I had a helper.

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

If You Give a Mom a Muffin

Written by Kathy Fictorie

If you give a mom a muffin,
She'll want a cup of coffee to go with it.
So she'll pour herself some.
The coffee will get spilled by her three year old.

She'll wipe it up.
Wiping the floor, she will find some dirty socks.
She'll remember she has to do some laundry.
When she puts the laundry in the washer,

She'll trip over some snow boots and bump into the freezer.
Bumping into the freezer will remind her she has to plan supper for tonight.
She will get out a pound of hamburger.
She'll look for her cookbook. (101 Things To Make With a Pound of Hamburger.)

The cookbook is sitting under a pile of mail.
She will see the phone bill which is due tomorrow.
She will look for the checkbook.
The checkbook is in her purse that is being dumped out by her two year old.

She'll smell something funny.
She'll change the two year old.
While she is changing the two year old the phone will ring. (Of course!)
Her five year old will answer it and hang up.

She remembers that she wants to phone a friend to come over for coffee on Friday.
Thinking of coffee will remind her that she was going to have a cup.
She will pour herself some.
And chances are, if she has a cup of coffee,
Her kids will have eaten the muffin that went with it.

2 year old logic

So, I couldn't figure out why Anthony is crawling from the couch, all the way up the stairs, and into his room for bed. Because mom said, "Anthony, go crawl in bed." And that is exactly what he did. Perhaps his preschool next year will cover idioms.

New and Exciting Pictures

Today was a record day...70 and sunny. It was amazing. The kids started playing out side just after breakfast and only really broke for a nap (not willingly). Gabe crashed before I could even get him to his bed. Anthony was more prudent and went with the theory "if I just keep moving I won't fall asleep." needless to say they were both out like lights for quite a while. The big news is that the boys got a "Lightening McQueen" (from the Pixar movie Cars) table and chair. This was a huge hit with them.

Rob and I had a run today with our local Hash (for those that don't know what it is...basically it is a painful run with the reward of beer at the end...and sometimes in the middle). It was a monster run, 3+ miles of nothing but hills, OUCH! On top of that I did a spinning class on Friday; boy are my legs sore. Hope I can walk tomorrow.

On thursday we went to the local Alpaca farm. The kids are still giggling about petting an alpaca...but mostly Anthony talks about seeing the tractor plow the field. That's my boy! After we had lunch at a local park and played on the playground. And yes, it rained the whole time we were out and about. Here are the pics from that.

Randomly, here are some bath pictures too.

Eating Clams

Our Farmer's Market opened this weekend, so the boys (including Rob) and I went. Anthony's treat is a fish cookie from this amazing bakery. Rob's treat is steamer clams. Well, as you can see from the photo, this is also now Anthony's treat. Rob was very disappointed that his share was being encroched on...but at the same time thrilled. Really, how many other 2 1/2 year olds eat clams.

Gotta run!

Kid crying.

Almost 33

Wow, it is hard to believe it is already my B-Day. For us that marks the end of a long year. About this time last year, Rob left Alaska to head for Washington and we followed a couple of weeks later. The road to here was rocky. We have a lot of house projects and Rob's job was not as rosey as we had hoped. Additionally I took on my hardest job yet...staying home. but things are really good now...it is hard to ask for a much better gift.

Anthony is still learning the potty training ropes. He doesn't always realize he needs to go...or more likely he doesn't want to stop playing to go. Those of you with girls who are thinking, "Gee, potty training wasn't so bad," just you wait. My friend Amanda once told me that boys are dirty nasty creatures who just don't care...she is not wrong.

Anthony still does not want to sit on the potty to poop...too much of an inconvenience. So pray for me...we need all the help we can get.