A New Game

Cabin fever has hit. Ok, it hit a long time ago but the boys have come up with some new games to keep them occupied and active. Can you guess what this one is?
Hint. It involves a vacuum cord, a hallway and some fishing techniques. At least Max likes to try and put things away when it's done.

Pure randomness

I just feel like writing so here goes.

Levi just broke the broom. It was a super cheap one so it didn't have a long life expectancy anyways. The good thing is right after he did it he told me he was sorry without me saying a word to prompt him. He's getting better at that.

Max has oatmeal all over him. He only had a few bites this morning and now is wanting to finish it off but all by himself. It's a mess. I'm just happy he's eating. He hasn't been eating a ton lately.

Right now the boys are playing with the button box. What's that you ask? Several years ago I bought a HUGE box of buttons, it must have been from a factory or something but I got it on Craigslist for $10 for a random project that I obviously didn't need THAT many buttons for and the boys love it. They fill different containers, use dump trucks, ladles, funnels, spoons and other kitchen stuff. It's great entertainment. Though I have learned I have to cover the floor vents when we do this activity.

Right now I'm in the living room watching them play because it seems like every time I leave to do anything productive they end up screaming at each other and fighting. But if' I'm in here doing pretty much nothing they are fine. Ugh. It's been like that the past couple days. But it's fun watching them play. Luckily they have both been taking naps so I can get stuff done then.

Primary has been keeping me pretty busy but overall I think it's a lot of fun. It's WAY more entertaining than RS, not that I don't love that too. At the same time there is a lot of work and time spent preparing 20 minutes worth of stuff every week. My office is filled with countless visual aids, games, songs and my laminator has already paid for itself several times over I'm sure. The great thing about it is I have used a bunch of that stuff for play time with my boys and even with Levi's preschool/playgroup.

I've been working out more lately. I started doing 5k's on Saturdays like I used to. I am SO slow. This last week I just about died but it felt good to finish. Also I started up at 24 hours fitness. I ended up getting the kids club pass for various reasons. When I worked out before things were different. Jason was working from home, I wasn't so busy with my etsy shop and other things. So I used to workout at night after they went to sleep or whenever Jason could watch them. Now I pretty much get right to work when the boys sleep and that's why exercising just wasn't happening. So while we have a bunch of equipment at home, I need something to entertain the boys besides a TV. Now they love doing 'gym' time and are always ready for a nap when we're done with it. Win win.

The shop has kept me pretty busy. For January and February I've had almost the same in sales I did for Christmas (lots of wedding orders). I am working on trying to simplify some designs and keep profits up with out spending more time on it all. Jason has been helping me more on the business end of things because he's good at it and I don't care for it much. I just like to make stuff. Also we are working on doing a website outside of etsy but that won't be done for a long time.

Right now it's snowing and Levi's quite excited. He told me he'd watch the snow while I pick up the buttons. Nice try bud.

Dancin' fool

This is what we're usually up to over at our house.
Oh, sometimes we do it all dressed up too.

SUPER clean

These boys sure love bath time, which sometimes happens twice a day because let's face it, it's fun and they are REALLY good at getting dirty.
They especially like when they get to use their hooded towels and pretend they're superheros.

Small Victory

“Victory is won not in miles but in inches. Win a little now, hold your ground, and later, win a little more.” Louis L'Amour

My grandmother is the queen of quotes and as a kid she had them posted everywhere I looked, even in the bathroom. And yes, that is where this one was posted. Now, as an adult, I am beginning to better understand that nugget of truth. Here is one of the recent 'victories' in the battle against picky toddlers; a 'meat', meaning turkey, sandwich. Levi used to not touch the stuff or ever want any sort of meat that wasn't in hot dog form. I don't know how it happened but one day he just said yes and guess what? He liked it! I knew he would. Now he prefers it over an old time fav of a PB&J.

Built Goodrich Tough

Isn't he?

V-Day 2011

In October I decided I wasn't going to do Christmas cards or make Christmas goodies for friends, but was going to wait till Valentines day. It made the holidays that much less stressful and they have been fun to do.I'm pretty sure this is a new Goodrich tradition so don't be expecting anything come Christmas. Here's this years card, I love it! Sweet, yet manly at the same time.

Bears, telescopes and climbing fences

Before Jason and I headed off to the beach for his b-day we decided to take the boys to the zoo. I think the last time we went was when Max wasn't even crawling. I think they liked it.

Hoodwinked

Ever noticed that getting kids to clean is like pulling teeth? Some days are better than others. On one of those 'I don't want to clean mom' days Levi was having we decided to have a race. He would see if he could clean the living room faster than I could clean the kitchen. Game on. Those little feet were moving faster than I thought they ever could, at least while cleaning. He smoked me, but in my defense I had to help him with a few things and the kitchen was 3x worse than the living room.

Levi decided that since he won he needed a prize and he picked out an old wrestling medal of Jason's, a hat he loves to wear, a foam sword,
and a FLASHLIGHT!
If he only knew what he was doing.....

The Face. Max style

When Levi was little we would always ask him to make 'the face'. It was hilarious. Now Max is doing a face all his own and it always is good for a laugh. Silly boy. (Forgive the boogers. We've had colds going around the past um.....month now is it?)
And I have to add this one. Not so much a funny face but it's his stubborn one when he sticks out his chest and says "No!"

Nice try bud

This is what happens when you have two boys of different ages, and one is learning to dress himself. Levi: "Why are you laughing mom?"
"Oh, no reason"

Moles

You'll never guess where Levi is.
Mom! Here I am!!!
Levi normally can't wait for Max to wake up. Usually there are cries of "I hear Max, he wants to play". This is hardly ever the case. But when Max does wake Levi insists on putting every blanket, stuffed animal and pillow in the room in Max's crib then hopping in. One day after doing it Levi said "Dig, dig, dig. Were moles digging tunnels". My funny little moles.

Chillin'

This is a horrible picture, but it's all I could get and I have to put it up. Max sometimes loves to just hang out on my bed. Maybe because it's something we don't normally let him do, so he loves it when I let him. Toys of choice: a wooden spoon, thomas, and a pair of tweezers. What a life.

His Terms

I am a firm believer in naps. Kids and parents are just happier when it happens. Levi was pretty good about naps up until September/October, when he began to refuse them. No matter how hard I tried or how many times I put him back he'd still get up. After several weeks I gave up and figured he was done with them, so I told him he had to have 'quiet time' while Max napped, which seemed to work out for both of us.

Several months passed, the crazy holidays were over and I thought I'd give it another try. This time I decided to give him more of a choice. I asked him if he wanted to sleep in my room or the couch (Max was in their room) and he said couch. I asked him if he wanted a drink, which pillow and which blanket and he chose them all. I turned down all the lights and he did what I thought he'd never do again. Took a nap. On the couch, but who cares where? He did it! And the day after and the day after... Now he does it a majority of the time, I'd say at least 75% of the time and the other times he at least lays on the couch for a good half hour, maybe more, before he gets up. I don't know how long it will last but I'm loving it.
Max? Still loves to sleep. Though he has been working on getting out of his crib lately. That might be a problem.