Someone didn't nap today

Sunday fun

Today while Pete was mowing the yard - we were outside for moral support.. and had a little fun ourselves.

Ben found his boots earlier this week - and has refused to wear any other shoe. Plus he LOVES his "deer" hat. Today when we went to the store - he had to wear his cowboy hat.. and when we were walking out of the house he looks at me straight faced and says "mom, I'm a cowboy". (I took this picture as the "before haircut picture" on friday - we made it all the way to the hair cutting place.. and I chickened out. )

forsythia blooms...

The Worst Song in the World

Clementine aka Found a Peanut is the worst song ever!
EVERYTHING APPLIES!!
Todays versions crafted by Ben:

I need a Time out I need a time out
I need a Tiiiiime out just now... just now I need a Time out...


AND

I need to Potty

I'm a Good Boy

Oh what a weekend.

Where to Begin.....
Pete had a great birthday (so he says)... We went out to eat, had a mini fire with all the candles, and Ben helped open all his gifts.
Saturday we left to go camping.. We headed out for a state park in Iowa about an hour away... Got there and it just wasn't what we were looking for.. So we told TomTom (our GPS) to navigate us to Swan Lake State Park (another 45min out). TomTom usually does a really good job of taking us to the right spot. And ALMOST always asks us if we want to take unpaved roads... EXCEPT this time. TomTom said take a right - and we did.. Pete and I were both puzzled b/c the road was gravel... ODD - TomTom hadn't said we would be on a gravel road.. but before we could question it we drove over the hill and both GASPED! The road was no longer gravel but dirt.. and by the time we noticed it was too late to turn around - we were already sinking in the MUD!! Keep in mind we were towing the camper!!!! Our only hope was to keep the momentum and trudge through... Now with no faith in TomTom we look to see 2.1miles until our next turn - Hoping and praying that over the next hill there will be gravel.. but no - still mud ... as Pete tries to accelerate down the hill for momentum to go up the next steeper hill... we can hear the engine rev - but we don't move any faster. The trailer is sliding all over the 'road'... the truck is fishtailing.. and I'm now thinking.. where was the last house we saw - how far am I going to have to walk.. b/c there's NO cell phone signal... Finally over the hill we see the beginning of gravel.. and OUR TURN on to pavement! WOHOOO we made it...
We stop and get out to check on things and see this...

WHY WASN"T THIS SIGN ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD??

So after a little off roading in the Truckasaurus - we headed to the next town in search for a car wash. Pulled in to Ray Dee's Carwash... and there sat Ray Dee himself.. and he told us OOOOH NOOOO!.. Keep on truckin... He didn't want that mud all over his bays - It's a CAR WASH - HELLO?!
Finally we arrived at Swan Lake.. and scraped off as much mud as possible b/f setting up camp.
Swan Lake is a really nice park and lake but lacks in the campground department (for our style). We had a great time hiking the trails, and seeing the sights, and of course finding the geocaches!
A few of the amenities at SwanLake:

• a petting zoo (closed for the season)
  
• buffalo
  
• trails galore
• Eagle shelter - The park cares for 2 bald eagles that have been injured and aren't able to be released. You can walk right up to the shelter and gawk at the amazing birds. It was really amazing for us to see them - but how incredibly sad that they are pinned up.
  
• Swans - They are trying to establish a swan population. They have a pair of swans held captive but release the offspring.
  

after a great weekend camping - Sunday afternoon we pack up and head home. Driving through Audubon we had to make a quick stop and see Albert.....




Albert is the worlds largest bull, and is anatomically correct!

Yay for the weekend

I really messed up this week. Tuesday I thought 'school' was taking the kids to the zoo. I convinced Ben that school was going to be super groovy b/c he was going to the zoo and would see all the animals. After getting him pumped up, we got to school Tuesday morning to realize I had looked at the calendar wrong. Zoo day is NEXT week. Whoops. He talked about wanting to go to the zoo for the next 3 days. I would've taken him - if we weren't crazy busy with plotting Pete's birthday and preparing for a weekend of camping.

Thursday night, we were cooking supper and out of nowhere Ben tells me: "Mom, I need a new daddy" He wouldn't explain why, but I figure its b/c dad got presents - and Ben didn't, and he was a little jealous.

Friday we were driving around town and our conversation was something like this:
Me: That's a tree.. what letter does tree start with?
Ben: Tree starts with T - YAY
Me: That's a stop sign... what letters are in Stop.
Ben: S. T. O. P.
Me: Very smart Ben...
Ben: w. r. i. o. n. spells crap.
Me: *hysterically laughing* i then tried to compose myself long enough for the "that's not nice talk"
That's my boy....

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Spring

my clowns

A few funnies:

The other day - Ben woke up from a nap and insisted that he was wet. I automatically assumed the worst - but he didn't look wet.. I checked the bed and patted him down and nothing was wet. My son is going crazy. I tell him he's not 'wet'... and he says "No Mom! I AAAAMMMMM here.." and points to his shirt and pillow...
Yep that's right - he drooled all over himself - just like his daddy.

At lunch one day - Ben was literally poking his sandwich.. and then starts singing.. "There's a hole in my sandwich dear Liza dear Liza... There's a hole in my sandwich dear Liza a hole"... Am I really supposed to keep a straight face through that??

Backjamin

 

This afternoon - we wanted to go find a few geocaches at a local lake. Usually we bike and hike, and the hiking part is difficult with Ben. He gets distracted by the 'pretty colors' and Pete or I end up carrying him. We've checked out the different packs available - but most of them are too big to bike with. We found this Kelty and totally dig it. Its probably a little more difficult to get Ben in and out of than the big frame packs.. but its perfect size for us.

Trouble strikes again

I guess I was a bit too early to say Ben wasn't 'bad' in the previous blog today.
This afternoon he ran upstairs to potty - he does this solo these days, and from my perspective in the basement it sounded like everything went well... I heard the toilet flush.. and a bit later it was eerily quiet. When I went to investigate.. I found him doing the classic 2 yr old tissue in the toilet bit. He had so much tissue that it wasn't even getting wet anymore. I was thankful he flushed before adding all the paper and more thankful he didn't try to flush the paper down.

Like mother like son ??

You know the old saying - 'your kids are going to be twice as bad as you were' ? (maybe my family was the only one that wished bad things upon each other).... Well - I think it's coming true....
Not that Ben is bad -- but that he's starting some habits that I USED to have...
For instance... Today I was running around cleaning the house - and hollered for him several times to come help pick up his books (those of you that know me know exactly where this is going).... No Ben... Frustrated and in a hurry - I pick the books up and run them to his room... out of the corner of my eye as I pass the bathroom (keep the snickers to a low roar please)... I see my lovely son brushing his teeth....
This is so funny to me - b/c I was always told that when it came time to do work I could always be found in the bathroom washing my hands or brushing my teeth... whichever it was - it always took me until the chores were done. So see my dilemma...my son - without knowing - is me... And I KNOW what it leads too.... I am doomed!

My family even had a saying for me: Pooter Scooter 2x4 can't get through the bathroom door... I think it was meant in a loving way... They would say it b/c if they couldn't find me... they knew to look in the bathroom and there I would be...

a few favorites

I've been slacking in the blog posting lately... I hope to find a new schedule where i can fit it all in soon.
Here are a few of Ben's recent favorites:
*American Idol -- he loves watching Americal Idol -- and when we occasionally watch other concerts (Austin City Limits) he'll tell us that we need to find another Americal Idol show if he doesn't like it.
*THE Bear puppet -- The one that he hated for so long - he has now fallen deeply in love with, sometimes to the point i think he might start liking it more than 8 of 10 'lambies'. That's pretty serious.
*Belts -- He's noticed that we wear belts - and he wants one too -- but he calls his a "seat belt"
*Hair -- he LOVES his hair. He tells us all the time that his hair is cool... (Poor kid - we don' thave the heart to tell him he only has 16 more years with it - if he is anything like his daddy)

terrible twos keeping coming

Thank goodness for only FOUR more months of Terrible twos... he'll automatically grow out of it on his 3rd birthday - right? The Dr once told me that kids just got sick until they were two.. and sure enough when Ben turned 2 he was done *knock knock knock* being snotty and having frequent fevers. So I'm hoping for the same results at 3 - just to a more extreme - no more terribleness.
-
Yesterday Ben got in trouble 'several times' at school (he's only there for 3.5hrs - how often can one kid get in trouble for it to become 'several times'). He wasn't hitting, or biting, or being bad.. he was just "handsy".... Constantly touching and leaning on the other kids. Well, I thought - the teacher's just crazy my kids perfect..... then we got home.. and Ben was HANDSY! He leaned on me ALL afternoon... and constantly touched me.. And he probably does it every day - but I didn't bother to notice until yesterday, and let me tell you - I was ANNOYED... poor kid
-
This afternoon - we decided to take a leisurely bike ride down to the lake and look for a spot for a geocache. First Ben refused because he wanted to go run (which means he wanted me and dad to run and push his lazy butt in the stroller). Then he threw a fit because he didn't want to ride on the bike. He only calmed down when we told him we were going to go geocache - he was suddenly cool and ready to go, until I got on the bike with him. Another tantrum because he wanted his daddy to ride his (ben's) bike. Hmmph... So ready for two to be over!