Low Key

It has seemed like we have had something going on every weekend since summer started. That may not be 100% true, but it always seems as if we're on the go. Last weekend seemed different. Maybe it's the fact that the weather is starting to cool down (significantly) and it's starting to feel like October already but we were happy to be outside and just feel comfortable. It put us in a good mood!

I worked on Saturday but in the evening we went over to our good friends' new house to make homemade pizza. The windows were open with a nice cool breeze blowing inside, the boys played with AND drug out all of the toys they could find and the drinks were flowing (for us moms anyway)....the husbands made their own pizza topped with all kinds of meat (ick!) and Kriste and I made a veggie pizza with white sauce (yum!) and even though they deny it, our pizza was WAY better.

On Sunday, Brandon, Mitch and I went downtown for breakfast and coffee. We took a long walk around downtown and checked out the waterfalls at the Square. The weather was so BEAUTIFUL that we just didn't want to get back in the car. While walking, Brandon insisted on getting a "moshmollow treat" at Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. The first time we walked passed, they weren't open just yet. BREAK. DOWN. CITY. Complete with foot stomping, clenched fists, screaming, and laying on the ground crying. Unbelievable. After walking around for another 20 minutes, we checked back and thank God, the girl decided to open a few minutes early. She saved the day. Brandon ended up getting his marshmallow on a stick and Mitch and I each ended up with treats as well...of course!  After spending a few hours walking around and window shopping, we got back in the car and headed to our weekly Target run.

While at Target, Brandon did very well despite it being close to his nap time. As we were getting ready to head to the check out lines, Mitch was carrying Brandon because it was insanely busy and there were quite a few people going in and out. Just as we were in the middle of the crowd, Brandon decided it was a good time to share his knowledge about how he's a boy and he has a penis. He yells at the top of his lungs while pointing at his crotch, "Penis Momma! Penis! Momma, momma! Penis!" Mitch as mortified and Brandon wouldn't let up until I acknowledged that he was in fact correct about his anatomy. Mitch just kept saying, "Yes Brandon we know. You're right......Say something to him! He's talking to YOU." Good times at Target.

Day Date Disaster

A few weeks ago, I had a wonderful, brilliant idea. I had the afternoon off, I was CRAVING lemon taffy and I thought it would be fun to take Brandon to Keystone to get some. A few weeks prior when we were there, we drove further into the actual town of Keystone and found a historical area that had an old school house and a town museum that I thought we could check out as well. A fun little day date with  my son....

The road trip there went great-minus the fact that I taught my son another road rage word. We made it to Keystone and by the grace of God, found a parking spot. It was HOT and muggy that day but I figured we'd make the most of it and get some ice cream later. 

We got to the boardwalk and Brandon immediately found a Spiderman car to sit in. He sat in it and liked touching everything on it but refused to let me put money in it so he could ride it. 

We made it down the boardwalk (Brandon only tripped on a floor board once) and purchased our 1 pound bag of taffy without incident, which Brandon insisted on carrying.

After we left the Taffy store, I thought this would be a good time to get some ice cream. We walked into a place two doors down and it was PACKED. 25+ people in a teeny tiny store. We finally make our way to the front of the line and I ordered Brandon a scoop of cookies and cream ice cream, something he ALWAYS gets. Big mistake. As the kid is dishing up the ice cream, Brandon literally throws himself to the floor and starts screaming that he wants rainbow ice cream instead. Unbelievable. I take the ice cream from the young man who clearly thinks I'm insane, I drag my child by his arm to the register, order myself a nice cold drink and hand her my credit card. The girl looks at me and says those dreaded words "I'm sorry. We only take cash." What. The. HELL??? I look around as the line starts to form behind me, my kid is still on the ground screaming and think to myself  "Is this really happening to me right now?" For anyone who knows me, I never carry cash. It doesn't last long when I have it so I just don't carry it. I looked at her and said "Are you kidding me?" Just as I'm seriously thinking of leaving the ice cream and making a run for it, I remembered that before I left town I stopped at the Credit Union to get some $1's for the store and I had them zipped up in a section of my purse. THANK YOU GOD. I ended up owing the Mustard Seed $4.25.

I finally got everything paid for, Brandon started to settle down and I got him to carry his ice cream. We started walking out the door and Brandon trips on the landing of the door and falls on the sidewalk with his ice cream smashed into the concrete. Awesome. He bursts into tears and I can't tell if he's hurt or embarrassed. I scoop him up, grab the ice cream off the side walk and just started running. We stopped at the train station where I scraped off the part of the ice cream that landed on the cement and we sat and tried to enjoy our treats. 

About 2 1/2 minutes after we got settled down from our 2nd disaster, the gun show started about 30 feet from where were were sitting and that was it. Brandon TOTALLY lost it. He covered his ears and started screaming "Go home Momma! Go home!" And that is exactly what we did. 

A fun filled day date with my son. It took us longer to drive there than it did to actually be there. If anything, it makes for a good story I guess.

Summer 2014

After the LONG horrible winter we had to endure, summer couldn't come fast enough. Some people are complaining with how hot and humid it has been the last week or so but I'm welcoming it with open arms! The thought of winter coming again, makes me ill.

There has been so much going on these last few months now that we can enjoy our time outside. Brandon would live outside if we let him. Last year we could lock the screen door and there was nothing he could do. This year, the joke is on us! He can unlock any door and will escape outside at anytime.

Aside from our 2 year old sneaking out of the house, this is what we've been up to this summer:

We take Oakley for a walk almost on a nightly basis and it's one of Brandon's favorite things to do.

This summer, we have been focusing on creating a nicer, more landscaped yard. I TRIPLE hate yard work and want something that is easy to maintain. Our first job this summer was our boulevard in the front yard. We really like the way it turned out and are in search of something to put on the rocks so it's not so bare.

When spring started, we debated on what was the next step to take with Brandon: potty training or big boy bed. Initially, we thought big boy bed was the way to go because he's already taken a dive out of his crib but deep down we knew that he would never stay in his bed. Nap time and bed time would become a nightmare. So one rainy windy day in May (go figure) we decided to just go for the potty training. I sat him on his potty and gave him a huge cup of apple juice and just had him drink and drink until he had to pee. It took about 25 minutes and after he went, it clicked. He didn't like it the first week or so and cried almost every time he went in the potty, but after 2-3 weeks, we haven't looked back! Dry big boy undies all day long but we still do a diaper at night. And no more diving out of the crib either-guess he learned his lesson!

Brandon has had a summer full of play dates with his friends.

I'm not a huge fan of going to the swimming pools for various reasons so we set up our own pool party in the backyard with music, a swimming pool or pad and a slide! It's way better and cleaner than the public pools:

Brandon has spent much of his time looking at all of the animals at Reptile Gardens, the Outdoor Campus and Bear Country! He loves to touch the snakes at Reptile Gardens (ick):

Playing tourist at Mt. Rushmore and Keystone:

We've been insanely lucky to be able to see both of Brandon's cousins Bion and Kaiden this summer. Brandon thinks every baby on Earth that he comes in contact with is "Baby Bion".  Mitch and I have tried several times explaining to him that it isn't so but he won't have it. Also, we were fortunate enough to spend 2 weeks with Kaiden in June and helped him celebrate his 1st birthday!

We always try to have fun outside and just be silly! Brandon has ventured out of the house twice in just his underwear, we've eaten 19 watermelons since March (we tally them every time we bring one home since we ate so many last summer), we've painted flower pots, cheered Auntie Kyllie on during her triathalon, have gone on MANY ice cream dates, we "play chalk" outside, ride bikes, we're still continuing with speech therapy once a week and we go on many shopping trips which always turn out interesting because our son has ZERO stranger-danger.

We try to spend a good amount of time with our dog Oakley. We're gone most of the day for work so we try to make sure he gets love to! We took him this past weekend to the dog park and he and Brandon had a blast.

We got new blinds in our front windows which meant all of the stuff was out of the windowsill  so Oakley took advantage of the empty space.

Sports. Brandon is really into playing catch with his dad. He'll go grab Mitch's baseball glove and say "Play ball with daddy?" Also, Brandon is taking tennis lessons right now. 2 year olds + 45 minutes of instruction = DISASTER. He does really well for about 20 minutes-then we both lose our shit. He screams, lays down on the court and when I try to stand him up he goes limp noodle on me. Good times.

Lastly, Brandon is one cool little dude and has a Lightening McQueen cell phone that he will only call either Amy or Blaine on. He, Amy and Blaine have conversations anywhere everywhere:

These conversations go something like this, "Hi Amy. Ok Amy. Oh Ok Amy. Bye, Amy."

"Hi Blaine. Blaine's at Mya's house? Ok Blaine. Bye Blaine."

The best $3 I've ever spent.



This has been the best summer yet. It's full of crazy 2 year old shenanigans and I love it all! Minus the mosquitos.