Thirty years ago: Do you want to play afterschool? or Can you play today?
Today: Can we have a play date? or Lets schedule a play date...
Thirty years ago: Let's go play on the playground
Today: Let's play on the play structure
*** When Brian's parents were here in Nov. one of the kids mentioned the word play structure and they looked at them not quite understanding what they were talking about!
Ok this one made me laugh yesterday ( it was raining)
Thirty years ago: We're on a rainy day schedule ( at school)
Today: Brandon and Matthew were talking at the table after school: "We were on an inclement weather schedule today." Inclement Weather??? Do we need to be politically correct to the thunderstorms, tornados, fog, hail and snow now??
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
What we've been up to...
New Years Eve with cousins at Grandma and Grandpa Teuschers house
Zachary beginning of January- 3 mos. I put the color picture in so you can see his blue, blue eyes!
Andrew- usually his hands are ALL over Zachary, touching, pulling, you name it to the poor kid, so it was fun to catch him being sweet!
Looking out over San Diego Bay
One day while we were in San Diego we went to Cabrillo Monument. The boys did the Junior Ranger program and one of the requirements was to dress in the battle armor.
Dawn and Brian making Sunday dinner. Mom inspecting the size of meatballs....
Brian pondering when will mom let us cook these darn things.... finally the meatballs passed mom's inspection and they were given the ok to cook....
Brandon jumping on the mini tramp. The kids could jump for hours without getting tired, first thing in the morning you would hear the springs start sqeaking until finally we would have to put it up for a rest
Brandon jumping on the mini tramp. The kids could jump for hours without getting tired, first thing in the morning you would hear the springs start sqeaking until finally we would have to put it up for a rest
Blasting Rockets. Brandon received model rockets for Christmas. We have had a fun time blasting them off in an empty field. The best I can do with pictures is getting the remaining smoke and the platform. The rockets go far to high to even get a picture of them! I love watching the boys run as fast as they can across the field to see where it lands.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Why we love Christmas....
Could it be the fresh cinnamon rolls for breakfast? The search for the reindeers lost jingle bell? A treasure hunt throughout the house? Enstroms toffee? Staying in your pajamas all day? Seeing the delight on your childrens faces? Or, watching them play contentedly all day long with each other? 
Brandon found Cupid's bell way to fast this year. By the time Santa and the reindeer make it to our house the bells have a tendency to fall off, or to have been kicked off, one way or another bells get lost in our home. Santa asks the boys to find the bell for him. Some years it takes all day to find, other years, like this one it takes about two minutes.
Jenny sent me a box of Enstroms toffee- for those who haven't had the priviledge of tasting this fine confectionary delight your taste buds ( or hips) are certainly missing out! My grandmother used to send us a box each christmas- it is one of those tastes that reminds me purely of Christmas. It was one of the best suprises of the year.
We got Andrew some Moon Sand- i thought it would be a fun alternative to Play do, which he loves, but two days into it I am not a fan of Moon Sand. Anyone have any experience that makes it not a mess to clean up?
As we were getting the boys in bed Christmas night Brian spent some time reminding them of the real reason we give gifts and celebrate. Matthew in pure six year fashion says in all seriousness "It's not about giving, its about GETTING!." and concludes it with a huge grin!! I suppose we have a little work cut out for us next year....
Sunday, December 23, 2007
The Polar Express
One of Matthew’s birthday presents was a ride on the Polar Express. During the month of December the Grand Canyon Railway magically transforms into the Polar Express. You board the train and head magically to the North Pole where Santa boards the train and gives every child a large silver bell. The ride is complete with hot cocoa, which is as”rich and thick as melted chocolate bars” and cookies. The waiters on each car are dressed just as they are in the story. They have done a wonderful job in recreating the story. On our way home from the North Pole our waiter had everyone singing Christmas carols, with friendly competition between parents and children, or one side of the car against the other. The kids really got into it! We learned moves to the Twelve Days of Christmas which will forever be forged into my memory. Our waiter, a large portly man, leaped down the length of the train during “lords a leaping” and while singing the chorus to “Deck the Halls” the Fa-la-la-la-la’s were done in time to a Rockette style high kick. The kids enjoyed the energy and the adults were wondering which team he was batting for.
We stayed the night in Flagstaff and took the kids sledding Friday morning. We had a great time- a few bangs, bumps and bruises- but nothing a fast trip down the hills couldn’t cure.
Dawn, Brian’s older sister, spent this last week with us. She is on winter break from her PhD studies at Mizzou. She is finishing her thesis up this spring. Three of her five job opportunities lie here in the great state of AZ. You can bet we are rooting for any of the three! The boys love to have her come (so do we). Andrew monopolizes her time, loves to come snuggle with her and always wants to sit on her lap, not his chair when she is around.
Dawn, Brian’s older sister, spent this last week with us. She is on winter break from her PhD studies at Mizzou. She is finishing her thesis up this spring. Three of her five job opportunities lie here in the great state of AZ. You can bet we are rooting for any of the three! The boys love to have her come (so do we). Andrew monopolizes her time, loves to come snuggle with her and always wants to sit on her lap, not his chair when she is around.
The boys tried snow boarding down a few smaller hills with the sleds- this is Brians attempt at it. I didn't keep clicking fast enough..you can guess what the results were...
Matthew is 6
Matthew had his 6th Birthday last week. Matthew doesn’t wear his emotions on his sleeve like others in our family, so you have to look for other clues that he is delighted and excited. He couldn’t sit still at dinner, he chose to go to Ruby’s Diner, and when we went to bed he couldn’t go to sleep. LEGOS. A remote control monster truck and a Suns jersey were the highlights of his birthday. He wanted a soccer birthday cake, which wasn’t terribly hard to make, but the frosting of it was a different story… I had a three year old helper whose fingers were into all the frosting and repeatedly kept trying to steal spoonfuls of frosting bites…then there was the two-month old who would stay in his bouncy seat. A half hour project took almost three!
It's a Christmas Miracle....
yes, Stephanie computers exist (I have actually sat down to update the blog), something akin to Yes, Virgina there is a Santa Claus. Between, school, birthdays, christmas and Primary there don't seem to be very many spare minutes. Some happenings of the last month....
The Tanks name has now morphed into King of the Cat Nap. If we are in the car during the morning, I can get about an hours nap out of him, otherwise it is about four ten minute naps here and there before lunch, I know it will eventually consolidate but until then I am quickly relearning how to do things one handed.
Zachary was blessed on Dec. 2nd. Both our parents were able to be here which we were very grateful. We were delighted to have a full house for a few days.
We attended Matthew’s Christmas concert. The week leading up to the concert he told us he had a surprise for us at the concert. We repeatedly tried to get it out of him. But he kept his lips tight. The big moment came on the last song when he stepped out and got to do a few do-si-do’s on stage with a girl from his class. He can do a great do-si-do, but when it comes to the shimmy at the end, his Teuscher genes kick it and the hips barely moved.
On the final day of preschool before winter break Andrew told us,” We can’t wear clothes to preschool today.” Thankfully we had a head’s up from his teacher. A class of kids in pullups and little undies would be kind of funny! The translation was they were to wear their jammies not their clothes to school.
On mornings when Andrew doesn’t have preschool he and I often play games. One of his favorites is to play Battleship. One problem emerges, all of his moves are hits and all of my moves are misses. He gets his numbers and letters mixed up and he will call out a move of ‘FG’ or “123”.
Remember high school biology class? Genetics? Punnett Squares? Zachary (we believe) has proved Brian is a brown eyed-heterozygote. Zachary is suspiciously looking like he will be our blue-eyed boy ( the other three are brown) I am blue eyed ‘bb’- which means Brian is ‘Bb’. I have always wondered whether I would get child with blue eyes.
We give the music program at the boys school an A+++. The music teacher never ceases to amaze us with performances she puts on. Brandon had his Christmas concert before we left for Flagstaff. Old habits die hard- when concentrating he tends to stick his tongue out ever so slightly. As part of the tambourine line- we saw that concentration evident as he remembered to get his rythmns right! As so many people try to make this Christmas season generic and de-emphasize the Christmas part of it we were greatful to see the school teaching them songs about the birth of the Savior and not just “santa songs”
The Tanks name has now morphed into King of the Cat Nap. If we are in the car during the morning, I can get about an hours nap out of him, otherwise it is about four ten minute naps here and there before lunch, I know it will eventually consolidate but until then I am quickly relearning how to do things one handed.
Zachary was blessed on Dec. 2nd. Both our parents were able to be here which we were very grateful. We were delighted to have a full house for a few days.
We attended Matthew’s Christmas concert. The week leading up to the concert he told us he had a surprise for us at the concert. We repeatedly tried to get it out of him. But he kept his lips tight. The big moment came on the last song when he stepped out and got to do a few do-si-do’s on stage with a girl from his class. He can do a great do-si-do, but when it comes to the shimmy at the end, his Teuscher genes kick it and the hips barely moved.
On the final day of preschool before winter break Andrew told us,” We can’t wear clothes to preschool today.” Thankfully we had a head’s up from his teacher. A class of kids in pullups and little undies would be kind of funny! The translation was they were to wear their jammies not their clothes to school.
On mornings when Andrew doesn’t have preschool he and I often play games. One of his favorites is to play Battleship. One problem emerges, all of his moves are hits and all of my moves are misses. He gets his numbers and letters mixed up and he will call out a move of ‘FG’ or “123”.
Remember high school biology class? Genetics? Punnett Squares? Zachary (we believe) has proved Brian is a brown eyed-heterozygote. Zachary is suspiciously looking like he will be our blue-eyed boy ( the other three are brown) I am blue eyed ‘bb’- which means Brian is ‘Bb’. I have always wondered whether I would get child with blue eyes.
We give the music program at the boys school an A+++. The music teacher never ceases to amaze us with performances she puts on. Brandon had his Christmas concert before we left for Flagstaff. Old habits die hard- when concentrating he tends to stick his tongue out ever so slightly. As part of the tambourine line- we saw that concentration evident as he remembered to get his rythmns right! As so many people try to make this Christmas season generic and de-emphasize the Christmas part of it we were greatful to see the school teaching them songs about the birth of the Savior and not just “santa songs”
Monday, November 19, 2007
We've renamed Zachary.....
Yes, it is true we have renamed Zachary, the name just didn't fit him.
His new name is Sherman.
We really feel his new name just fits him and his personality better.
If you believe me, then you obviously have more sleep than I do, and don't dwell in that foggy state of being where punchy humor reigns.
Seriously though, I have had to take him to the doctor twice in the last 10 days. 10 days ago he had gained three pounds from birth so he was 11.5 lbs, and today he had gained an additional 1.5 lbs in a week and half, (litterally) rounding himself out to 13 lbs at 6 weeks.
No wonder I get people looking a little unbelieving when I say he is 6 weeks. He is our little Sherman (tank!)
His new name is Sherman.
We really feel his new name just fits him and his personality better.
If you believe me, then you obviously have more sleep than I do, and don't dwell in that foggy state of being where punchy humor reigns.
Seriously though, I have had to take him to the doctor twice in the last 10 days. 10 days ago he had gained three pounds from birth so he was 11.5 lbs, and today he had gained an additional 1.5 lbs in a week and half, (litterally) rounding himself out to 13 lbs at 6 weeks.
No wonder I get people looking a little unbelieving when I say he is 6 weeks. He is our little Sherman (tank!)
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
You learn something new everyday
Here are a few things I have learned /re-learned in the past few weeks:
1) Getting the flu and nursing do not complement each other
2) Getting the flu and loosing a few of those pregnancy pounds do complement each other ( although not the way I suggest loosing them!)
3) You do not need to have teenagers living in your your house to get T-P'd
4) Having a newborn snuggle on your chest is one of the most delightful experiences you can have
5) Having an 8 year old in the house is very handy- especially when you can trust them
6) Mothers Amnesia is real
7) I will have to remember the other things at a later date......
8) Mom's and Dad's are wonderful- we've had someone with us four of the last five weeks- they have been such a help for us.
9) A sleeping baby MUST be woken up according to his brothers
1) Getting the flu and nursing do not complement each other
2) Getting the flu and loosing a few of those pregnancy pounds do complement each other ( although not the way I suggest loosing them!)
3) You do not need to have teenagers living in your your house to get T-P'd
4) Having a newborn snuggle on your chest is one of the most delightful experiences you can have
5) Having an 8 year old in the house is very handy- especially when you can trust them
6) Mothers Amnesia is real
7) I will have to remember the other things at a later date......
8) Mom's and Dad's are wonderful- we've had someone with us four of the last five weeks- they have been such a help for us.
9) A sleeping baby MUST be woken up according to his brothers
Friday, October 26, 2007
The new SEARS catalog...
I remember going through the Sears and JC Penny catalogs before Christmas and circling just about everything on every page. My past came back to haunt me as the Holiday Lego catalog arrived at our house this last week. In a moment of trying to get the boys to settle down and do something besides wake Zachary up ( why does a sleeping baby beg to be woken up in children's eyes) I told them to go through and write their initial next to the Lego's that looked fun/interesting to them. Wouldn't you know that next to each and every picture there was either an B, M or A. The only ones which didn't have an initial are the ones we already have! Brandon told me they didn't put anything next to the Sponge Bob legos because they know that I don't like/approve or SpongeBob! Glad they are listening every once in a while. Unfortunately it didn't narrow it down for me much- but they were excited, devouring over every page.
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