6.30.2008

Everett is a Big Brother


Henry was born back in May but those darn Haileys are slow on their photo sharing (or maybe they've been busy adjusting to a baby and attending family reunions). Here is the latest baby to join the Lucas blog! He sure is cute. We are hoping he is Cubs fan unlike his brother who has jumped ship to cheer for the White Sox (I blame his mom).


Congrats to Barb, Allen and Everett. We hope we get to see you all soon.

6.26.2008

Potty Training 101

When JT was potty training something horrible happened; I became obsessed. I stopped at nothing to bribe, coerce, guilt JT in to using the potty. Potty training became an agonizing event and JT's lack of success became a personal affront to me.

I finally opted for a Potty Box; basically a shoe box filled with various items from the dollar store and Target. This method worked well until JT quickly realized that there were no parameters around the amount that had to be in the toilet to get an prize.

It all worked out. JT will not go to kindergarten in diapers. After the JT fiasco I made myself the following promises:
  • Zach could wear diapers until he was 18
  • I would never, ever again use a Potty Box as a potty training method




I guess using a "Pee Bag" and a "Poop Bag" don't officially count as a Potty Box. Do they?
I seriously was going to let Zach wear diapers forever but he starting asking for pull-ups because according to him he wants to use the potty. I guess this is something he learned from school as I also swore I would never waste money investing in pull-ups. Zach has his own set of Diego pull-ups now too.
The next few months should be loads of fun!
At least JT is excited about potty training. He keeps telling stories about the stuff he got out of his box. I guess that is good?!

6.24.2008

8 Years and Counting

This is the most recent photo I have of us. This one is from last September. Hard to believe the photo below is us 8 years ago.


What a wild day our wedding was. I cried the entire time despite the fact that I really was happy. Rick's dad was sick and stuck in a hospital in Spokane; he missed the entire day. Michelle was 6 months pregnant with Owen! Dad trumped mom's and my reception plans and picked a small restaurant that had yet to open but with a chef that my dad really liked. No complaints on dad's decision though; 8 years later and Rick and I would both agree that our reception was probably one of the best meals we have ever eaten.

We haven't done anything too wild to celebrate. We went out to dinner this weekend. We tried going to Sandra Bullock's restaurant Bess but some woman named Kate decided to trump us with a private party to celebrate her 40th birthday. We ended up having a fine time at Asti.
It really is hard to believe that we've been married 8 years and have two kids. It hasn't always been easy but there is always laughter and I think I love him more today than I did 8 years ago. We'll see what the next 8 years bring.
Since I am feeling so nostalgic, here is the Pablo Neruda poem I insisted we have at our wedding:
Sonnet XLIV
You must know that I do not love and that I love you,
because everything alive has its two sides;
a word is one wing of silence,fire has its cold half.
I love you in order to begin to love you,
to start infinity again and never to stop loving you:
that’s why I do not love you yet.
I love you, and I do not love you,
as if I heldkeys in my hand:
to a future of joy-a wretched, muddled fate-
My love has two lives, in order to love you:
that’s why I love you when I do not love you,
and also why I love you when I do.





Career Opportunities


Is there a job available for someone who has the Little Engine That Could memorized because her youngest child insists that he reads the same book every night?
I have even tried to hide the book a few times but it results in a meltdown and at that hour of the day I'd rather not deal with screaming/crying child. He is willing to read others as long as you begin or end with the Little Engine that could.




6.19.2008

Water Envy

These photos are from some family friends who are living in Amana, Iowa. Their house is fine but not so much in the rest of town. One photo below shows that this flood has surpassed the 1993 flood line.
Meanwhile, back here in Texas, Rick and I have opted to not water the grass and we now have a backyard of hay (our poor little trees just aren't big enough yet to protect the grass). It is only June (and not even officially summer) and we've hit over 100 degrees several days in the past two weeks.
Maybe we should follow the Northern Nguyens to Minnesota!











6.17.2008

Almost 3

We are about a month out from Zach being 3; it is hard to believe. He is much bigger than JT was at this age. I think JT was still wearing size 2T; Zach has already moved in to some 4T stuff. Sadly that means some of our cool shirts like the one below have gotten extremely small (and to think that this very tshirt pictured was given to us in April).



What Zach Wants to Do

Hard to believe but after just about 3 short weeks Rick and JT have driven each other crazy. In my mind I envisioned this last summer before school as this idyllic time in which the boys would have all sorts of adventures. Not really possible when it is 100 or more degrees every day, JT wants someone (other than his brother) playing with him at all times, and Rick is overwhelmed with work (no complaining) and the many projects I've asked him to work on.
In search of a Kid/Parent Yoga class, Rick stopped at our local YMCA branch only to discover that they were offering summer mom's day out. I am not sure who was more excited JT or Rick. JT woke at 8 this morning and started his usual cuddle with me and then ask for cartoon routine. He was just getting ready for the cartoon asking when it dawned on him that today was school. He quickly ran to his room and got dressed (school didn't start until 9).
Zach can't attend the program because he isn't 3 (just a few more week) and he isn't potty trained (probably another 8 years before that happens). Zach had a bit of a meltdown but we promised him he would get to pick an activity to do with mom and dad when he got home (I work from home on T/Th). As soon as Rick was back, Zach announced that JT was at school and he was ready to play. We asked what he wanted and his response was "I please eat watermelon." We tried to convince him of other things, Wii, trains, coloring but he insisted that all he needed was some watermelon.


6.12.2008

Toy Store

Some friends of ours decided to open an online toy store after all the craziness this past year with the lead paint issues.

Here is part of their blurb:

"My son Carl and I have found a great selection of safe toys that will spark the imaginations of young minds as well as the young at heart. We purchase our products in the USA and Europe and make sure that our manufacturers are as responsible as we are.Carl & Me was founded in February 2008 after my wife's employer relocated us from Germany to Austin, Texas to work on a global project. "

The boys and I were over visiting Carl this past weekend and picked up a few things for some of our favorite new babies (Henry and Lauren - get ready!). It was fun to look at all the stash and of course JT wants to know when Rick is going to stop being a writer and open up a Toy Store at our house.

Take a few moments to visit Carlandme.com. We don't get any kick-backs nor are we shamelessly requesting gifts but we definitely are excited about our friends trying to start their own business and support the stay at home dad life.

6.10.2008

New Lauren Photos



When I pulled up the first one Rick said "Where did you get that photo of JT?"
She sure is cute. I thought I was okay not going up but I think JT and I are going to try and head up. How can we not go visit someone so cute?

6.09.2008

The New Cowboy's Stadium

Finally, here are my photos of Jerry Jones' latest project. For those of you not from Texas or even interested in Cowboy's football, then you have missed out on his billion dollar project. The new stadium will supposedly seat 80k.

This shot is from the ballpark. It is pretty cool that you can see Six Flags and the new stadium from the ballpark.

Fort Worth Zoo

We got up Friday with the intention of going the Fort Worth Zoo in the morning before the heat hit and then heading back home in the afternoon. Our plans were delayed a few hours after the check engine light came on and we had to spend a few hours at the Mazda dealer. It was some plastic piece that does something with the air intake to the gas tank.

We made it to the zoo by 1:30 and stayed until closing. It ended up being a great time and the boys were fabulous. JT was on a search for some unknown reason for an ostrich, which ended up being the very last animal we saw. Zach just wanted to see some horses and we were able to catch some that were in their pjs.

I think we spent the longest amount of time in the snake house. I was bummed that my photo of the green mamba didn't turn out. I just finished The Poisonwood Bible before we left so the green mamba was on my mind.

Zach and the birds.
A rare shot of me! Zach and I were at my favorite, the monkeys.

The horses in their pajamas. Yes, JT is wearing his Josh Hamilton shirt for a second day. I am amazed we were able to get it off of him when we got home.
For some strange reason, the other people in the room didn't think Rick on an alligator was funny.

The white tiger. Check out the little kid in the window. His parents were maybe 15 and kept putting their child up to the window and encouraging him to bang on the class.

Random Baseball Shot

It would be remiss of me to exclude one of the best shots of our ballpark tour. There was one other person on the tour with us; a guy from Boston who told us he lives with his mom and travels to see the Indians (his favorite team) whenever he can. After the tour guide (who was at least 80 years old and kept yelling at us to keep up) told us about the dugout she told us we could have a few minutes to take photos. I kept trying to get a shot of the boys from this angle and asked the guy to move but he wouldn't. At one point he turned and smiled but I wasn't quick enough to capture that shot.

Arlington, Texas


We decided to take a minivacation to Arlington to catch a Rangers game. We left Wednesday and spent the afternoon in the pool and hanging out. Thursday we got up and headed over to the ballpark to visit the Legends of the game baseball museum. The museum had an amazing collection of baseball memorabilia as well as the complete history of the Ranger team. It was neat to see it all. After the museum we took a tour of the ballpark. The boys got to sit in the dug-out, see the batting cages, a suite, and the press box. After we went back to the hotel for a nap. We left the hotel at 5 hoping we could get some autographs, more specifically Josh Hamilton's autograph. We got to see the end of batting practice but didn't get Josh's autograph (we didn't even get to see him pregame). JT did get David Murphy's autograph on his hat. The boys taking the skipper's seat in the dugout.
JT standing in front of the Ranger's locker room. Maybe someday he will be going in to that locker room.
The boys in the museum. I cut him out but the guy in the blue polo is George W back when he owned the Rangers.
JT watching the team come out on the field while Rick and Zach went to get a program so we could figure out who signed JT's hat. We had no idea who he was but he was the only player that was left signing things when we got to the ballpark.


Big Trouble at My House

I discovered this the other day in the boy's bathroom. It made me realize that I am outnumbered for the rest of my life (or at least until they meet really nice young ladies that think I am the best mother-in-law ever).