Bringing Up Boys

How Do You Lose a Fish?

It's an honest question.  Sometime during a routine fish tank cleaning - Scarlet (the fish) disappeared.  He was in the holding container one minute (with his other fish friend and two frogs) and then POOF - he was gone.  Seriously.  He was just gone.

I have several theories on this mystery...

1. Larry (the large albino frog) ate Scarlet - bones and all.

2.  Scarlet somehow flopped out of the holding container, into the sink and down the drain (very Finding Nemo-like).

3. One of our boys somehow got a hold of Scarlet - and that poor fish is now at the bottom of the toy box.

I'm not sure which theory I am rooting for since they are all equally disturbing.

Such a Tease...

I love Ohio.  I do.  I just can't quite figure out how temperatures could be below zero less than a week ago.  And today...the mercury climbed into the 70's.  THE 70'S!  IN DECEMBER!  I love it, but it's strange to say the least.  We did get out and enjoy the strangeness the nice weather for awhile at our favorite park down the street.

 

 

 

 

   

 

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!!!

 

     

 

The Day Chris Almost Got Arrested

I've been Ebaying A LOT lately.  Buying new items for less.  Finding toys that are out of stock.   Enjoying the rush of being in a bidding war.

I can't tell you what I bought that almost landed Chris in jail.  I can tell you that it was a gift for one of my family members for Christmas.  But, when it arrived, it was defective.  So I called the company that made it, explained the problem, and gave them the products serial number.

They told me they could mail me a new one, but it wouldn't be here in time for Christmas.  They suggested I take the product to Best Buy where it was purchased (they could tell by the serial number) and exchange it for another one.

Sounded simple enough - so we loaded up the boys and off we went.

As I watched Chris get into the customer service line, I had no idea what was about to happen. 

I was preoccupied - keeping the boys away from all the electronics.  But I did overhear the sales girl say..."Sir, this is a stolen item.  Where did you get it?"  Cue security/loss prevention.  Cue Chris's panicked face.  Cue the boys messing up an entire rack of DVD's (really).   Cue me rapidly trying to explain that it came from Ebay.  Cue one BIG GIANT MESS.

It took some fast talking, but thankfully the Best Buy folks were more than understanding (after the initial confrontation). 

They even exchanged our item and simply asked that we file a complaint with Ebay. 

Yay!  Daddy isn't spending Christmas in jail! 

But I may never log on to Ebay again - and we won't be showing our faces in Best Buy for some time.

Duh....

So I said I had no idea where Cooper learned the color gold.  Then, as I was playing Thomas trains with him tonight, I saw it....the Gold Thomas the Tank Engine.  I totally forgot we had him, but clearly - this is where Cooper deciphered the color of Chris's car.

Mystery Solved

It's been a funny disagreement between Chris and I for years....what color is his car???

I made the mistake of complimenting how pretty the "champagne" color was  way back when we were dating.  He saltily told me that his car was "silver" and then later changed his mind and went with "pewter."  Seriously, who drives a pewter colored car???

Anyways, four years later and we now have a tie breaker. 

Lo and behold - as I was hustling Cooper out the door to school the other day, he stopped and asked if we could "go bye bye in the gold car."  The gold car.  I didn't even realize that he knew what color gold was.  I'm not even sure where he picked it up.  But regardless, we have a tie breaker and Chris's car will forever be the "gold car."

Just to settle the score once and for all  - what color do you think Chris's car is???

Online Surveys & Market Research

Cookie Monsters

Cooper helped me make Christmas cookies for his preschool class party tonight.

For every cookie he decorated, he ate one too.  I think he may have eaten his weight in stars and snowmen by now.  I love how - the entire time  - he had a cookie to munch on in one hand and sprinkles in the other.

 

    

Oh yeah - we had someone special to sample the cookies post-baking.  Judging by the icing all over his face, I think he was satisfied with the recipe. 

 

Get ready Santa!  Batch #2 will be waiting when you slide down our chimney next week!

A Wild Night

Chris and I have been looking forward to taking the boys to Wildlights FOR YEARS.  It's always been too cold or one of them was too infantish.  But this was our year.  Three years and 18 months - awesome ages.  Finally. 

It was no surprise that the sight of one million lights was amazing.  How could that not be amazing?   I love that Beckett rode around in the stroller like this all night - in sheer awe.

Cooper was excited too.  He LOVED the lights, but also requested to see some wildlife along with his wildlights- especially the fish and sharks.  When we got to the aquarium, someone special showed up in the tank.  Cooper was floored (and probably a little confused). 

 

In the end, it actually worked out that Coop wanted to check out some of the animals because it was really cold that night.  So cold that I was a little worried about Beckett.  Ducking in to see the elephants, fish and snakes kept him nice and toasty though.  And Becks - who isn't exactly the quiet type - let us know when he was ready to go.  This was the final shot we took before we left - in front of the big Christmas tree near the entrance.  Yup, Becks was definitely ready to go.

   

I Haven't Asked a Lot

of Chris this holiday season.

He doesn't typically pick out gifts (except for the boys) because our friends and family might be frightened at his selection.  After all, he is the guy who once bought me an electronic dartboard.  And BTW...I don't play darts. 

He doesn't address Christmas cards because he's left handed and his handwriting is just atrocious.  Even I can't read it sometimes, so how could we expect the mailman to?

He can't wrap gifts.  Really.  He has no idea how.

Chris hates baking, so Christmas cookies are definitely out of the question.

And decorating?  He did bring the tree up from the storage room, and he's reminded me of that several times (usually when I'm elbow deep in wrapping paper).  

But there was one holiday task I knew he could accomplish.  Cooper's school is having their holiday party next week.  I asked Chris to pick up the coloring book and crayons that all the kids are bringing in to exchange.  

  And THIS is what he came home with.  A jumbo Sesame Street HAPPY BIRTHDAY coloring book.  Sigh. 

The First Snowfall

Complete with snow angels.

  

Smiles.

   

Chills.

 

Horseplay.

 

Awe.

 

Dashing.

 

Sledding.

 

And lots and lots of fun.