December Update

It's been awhile since I've blogged. Our main computer in our house crapped out a little bit after our last blog. Matt blames me of course. Since I was trying to find a yummy cookie recipe on the Betty Crocker website when it all went to hell. We had a very busy Christmas....lots of running around to family houses, and with all the snow and ice, it just seemed to make everything more stressful. Matt decided that he felt like a spoiled rotten little kid who didn't get everything he wanted. I got a lot of great stuff! A new stroller!! I collect those things! Parker was a little freaked out at first that "Santa" came into our house and left a bunch of stuff for us. And by a bunch, I mean WAY to much! Keaton liked tearing the wrapping paper off his gifts, but got overwhelmed very quickly when ALL of the family was around. The poor itchy guy would've been happy with one wad of wrapping paper and a good long nap. As I type this tonight, I am grateful for all the cookies that were given to us, and the 10 extra pounds of winter fat to keep me warm. And "Thank the Lord that the snow and ice are melting!"

Snowy Sunday!!

It snowed! And it actually stuck to the ground!! I am always up for a good snow day! I love knowing that you need to stay home, and be lazy! Last night whenever I looked out the window for the "big snow storm" we were suppose to have it was just windy. SO this morning when we woke up.....

You can kinda see out tiny faceless snowman! Every time we tried to put eyes on it, the head would fall apart! Next time, I'll try to brave the snow and wind better, and build a bigger snowman with Parker!

A nice little walk in the neighborhood with Parker.

Matt and Keaton were taking a morning nap.

Right before dinner (and 2 inches of snow later) We bundled Keaton up, and had him experience snow for the first time. I'm pretty sure it was WAY to windy for him. We stayed out just long enough to get a couple pictures, and Keaton and I went back inside. By they way, after layering the boys up, I swore Keaton was going to poop or Parker would have to go potty, but I was lucky today!!

You can't tell, but Parker was throwing a snowball at me. He and Matt had their first snowball fight! Parker thought it was pretty funny playing in the dark with Daddy outside! At dinner he told me, "Snow is really fun!"

I am so glad that school is cancelled tomorrow, and Matt doesn't have to go into work! We get to make more snow memories!!

And to all of our friends and family who live in areas that get a lot of snow...I know 3 inches doesn't seem like much to you, but it rarely snows here, so please don't rain on my parade!!! (lisa)

Season's Greetings

I had 30 minutes to kill before I picked up Parker, and I didn't feel like doing anything productive. So here you go....

Parker has been singing Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Chipmunk Christmas song over and over and over and over......Thanks Abby for teaching us thoses Christmas songs.

15 days until Christmas!!!

yikes! I need to clean out the family room!

I need a Thanksgiving Re-Do

What I was thankful for on Thanksgiving morning:

My husband who stayed home with a sick 3 year old

What I was Thankful for Thanksgiving afternoon:

My niece who watched Keaton while I slept

My sister who came into the guest room to check my forehead and bring me water

My brother for not complaining about how his children were probably going to get sick because of me

My dad for trying to help me stay warm

My mom for forcing me to take medicine

My side of the family for just letting me be sick in the room next door

My husband and sick 3 year old picking me up so I didn't have to drive home

What I was Thankful for Thanksgiving evening:

My in-laws for letting me sleep on their guest bed with a sick 3 year old on their couch

What I am Thankful for this evening (4 days later):

Our pediatrician giving me a prescription to knock my kids out for the night so we can all get a good nights sleep and the Sudeffed that I just took to knock me out too...

Cheers to a drug induced sleep.

Do I get a discount if I recomend you?

My bestest friend in the whole wide world has become quite the crafty mama* lately! Selling handmade burp cloths and stroller blankets at bazaars and at the ETSY website!

We went and saw her at a bazaar last weekend, and Parker bought his baby brother a burp cloth (that he LOVES to hide around the house so his immobile 5 month old brother can't find it and rip open the Christmas wrapping paper we put on it), and she custom made some more for us with a more "wintery" theme!!!

Back to the point of this post though...Parker loves to feel silky soft things in his fingers as he falls asleep, and Chrissytina had some small samples of the soft material that she uses on the blankets, at the bazaar. Parker let her know that he really liked these samples and last night, Chrissytina made him the PROUD owners of not 1, but 5 of these "Big Taggies"

Here he shows us how he placed them on his pillow so his head will be soft.

And then he is demonstrating how his head will be "cozy soft" while he is sleeping!

Thank you Chrissytina from the bottom of Parker's heart!

*Speaking of crafty mommies....

This is another one of my awesome friends!

My attitude today.

I really hope I'm not breaking any blogging law by doing this, but I've been having a week, OK, a month, FINE! 3.7 years of feeling like this. This is on a great website that I enjoy reading blogs from moms who have the same attitude as I do about life! For the most part anyway. Do you ever get those looks from your girls that you are a total loser? I’ve seen that look a few times this week. First on Wed it was crazy hat day…wear a crazy hat and you get to be out of uniform. We arrive at school at 8am, see all of the kids lined up and here is Ella in uniform and no hat. Ella says: “Mom you forgot crazy hat day!! “ And then gives me the look. Today, I remember to take her turkey that she decorated, as well as her lunch, homework, gloves, hat, coats for the homeless and her library books. We get to the classroom (because we missed line-up since we were late) and Ella says to me “Mom, you forgot the $2 for the Literacy Day!” Again…the look. It took all of my power to not say “Yes, but let me f*cking tell you what I did remember …”

And...he rolls over!!

He did it!!! Keaton rolled over Sunday night at my parents! I'm glad Parker was my witness and that I have this video of his 2nd time . Because he hasn't rolled over again since!

Please pardon my unsteady hand as I filmed this on our camera.

Upper Latourell Falls Hike

It was such a gorgeous day on Sunday! Many Oregonians will tell you that if it is not raining in the fall GO OUTSIDE!! So Parker and I invited my dad to go for a hike! They have been to over 40 waterfalls, but FINALLY there was one that I could go to that they hadn't seen yet!

Upper Latourell Falls

This picture is of Latourell Falls. I like how Parker needed to use one of my dad's walking sticks...I like it even more that my dad was so willing to let him "use" one!

Our new thing is to put the collars of our coat in our mouth.

Then we complain that our coat is wet.

This is the bottom part of Upper Latourell Falls.

It was so beautiful! If there wasn't an antsy 3 year old with me, I could've just sat and watched the water for hours! I just may go back with my parents dog someday when Parker is at school.

LEAVES!!! We don't have any big trees in out yard, so Parker doesn't get to rake any up and trow them up into the air. Good thing we found a pile after the hike to destroy. Sorry to whomever raked them. Just know that a little boy had the time of his life tossing them up into the air and kicking them around!

The old Columbia River Highway.

It is such a peaceful drive.

Hmmm???

Do all children have to undress before they go to the bathroom or is it just mine?

A message I recieved from Matt...

Didn't I say 5 more years? Not 3 more months. myspace.com/mwilcox Date Sent: 11/12/2008 7:55:00 AM Body: Billy Joel is playing MGM Grand in vegas for Valentines day. Should we start making plans? I know I am vegased out but its Billy Joel and vday is a saturday. We could make it a long weekend. come on....come on."

Vegas Part 2

Vegas...from Matt's camera

Boarding the plane!!!

I try to remind him that he is 30 now, and doesn't need to be playing Final Fantasy on a PSP.

We've only been in Vegas for 10 minutes, and he's already not listening to the rules.

I love seeing Palm trees!! The light is from the Luxor Casino, for those of you who don't know...

Astronauts can see this light from space.

Matt and I wishing we were really on a bridge on a partly cloudy day in Paris.

Probably not going to happen with my fear of international travel.

The view that Matt and his parents got to see from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

The reason we went to Vegas!!!A fun little story...

Matt's parent asked him to pick a restaurant for his birthday dinner. He said he would really like to try "Mix," a restaurant 400 feet above the strip. They thought it sounded great, so we made reservations. Keep in mind, that I have already freaked out on the Eiffel Tower platform, and now I am expected to eat a nice dinner on a balcony 400 feet up. I think Matt's step dad, Steve, knew I wasn't going to "complain" or "ruin" Matt's dinner, so he asked if we could sit away from the railing, and I was SO grateful! Our dinner was FABULOUS!!! I can't think of any other word. We got 2 desserts to share, and coffee, and the baker came out with something yummy that was fresh and still in the cooking pan warm for the Birthday Boy and his guests... to bad I can't remember what they were called. When the bill came, Matt caught a quick sneak, and then today I confirmed the price on it (it was on his mom's kitchen counter).

After tip.....are you ready?....sitting down?

$506.00

For 4 people to eat. And all I drank was water!

That was definatly a once in a lifetime experience for me!

I don't think that will EVER happen again in my life.

The picture below is a view from our table.

Matt and his friend, Mark, who flew in from Connecticut to wish Matt a Happy Birthday!!

3 out of 5 of us were drunk.

I won't name names.

My first shot of Whiskey!

We went to a little Irish Pub (which was inside a huge Casino), and everyone else was getting whiskey! I thought I would be looked at weird if I ordered a glass of white wine.

I'm glad we were in Vegas where you can take your drinks with you ANYWHERE!

It took me about 2 hours and 3 glasses of water to finish the 1 shot.

ps...don't ya love my tan lines??

So for those of you who don't know, Keaton was named Dinosaur Rex, before he was born.

We put some $$ in this machine hoping it would be good luck...nope.

Are you jealous of the 4o cents that Matt pulled out of the "ebay" machine or the 5 cents that I pulled out?

We did a little better playing craps.

I just think it's funny to bring your family to Vegas.

I guess if your kids were over 21.

When I think of "family" I think of parents and small children.

$45 in nickels!

Leave it to the 1/2 Vietnamese girl to find a Pho restaurant!

I think it is safe to say that 4 out of 4 people were intoxicated in this picture.

We were standing outside waiting for a cab, and our neighbor Cal saw a limo waiting outside the door. He kindly asked the doorman how much the limo was, and when the driver said $35 to the place we wanted to go, Cal said "Take us there!" Cal and Debbie have much better pictures! This was the only one that came out on Matt's camera. I need to practice using it more so I can figure out all of the settings. The best part about the limo ride was definitely Cal rolling down the window at a stop sign and saying, "Ladies." And ALL the ladies in hearing range on the strip started screaming like he was some big rock star! Ahhh, Vegas!

Matt, stop looking up the man's skirt.

Finally! I got to go shop!

Daddy and Parker getting our luggage off the carousal at the airport.

In conclusion...

I had fun (I usually do on any vacation), but I am happy to be home again. I don't need to go to Vegas again for at least 5 years. It will probably be totally different by then!

For our Ohio Aunts

Matt was "traded" to another radio station.

You can still listen online at http://www.charliefm.com/

Still the producer of the morning show.

Same early hours.

Brotherly Love

Parker is trying so hard to sleep through the night dry. This means when he has an accident in his pull up at night, he wakes up crying, sad, and basically distraught. Tonight I met him in the hallway as he was crying.

I have to admit, I was a little sad when I heard him say,

"I want my brother to snuggle with me (insert saddest face ever here)."

I figured might as well! Keaton was up screaming anyway. (teething)

I don't know why I was surprised that they both calmed down so quickly.

These two have a special bond!

Then Parker completely fell asleep, and Keaton was just about ready too.

But big bro turned and smashed little one.

I guess that is one of many reasons why 3 year olds and 4 month olds can't sleep in the same bed.

Am I horrible for not helping the baby right away? I thought of it more as a Kodak moment. I need to humor myself in the middle of the night when Keaton won't stop crying.

And Re-Re the cat. Watched the whole time. He kinda reminds me of Stewie from the Family Guy. Only he wants the boys to disappear, so he can have a quiet house again. Sorry Re. Not gonna happen. Well, KeaKea and I are going to go downstairs and watch Desperate Housewives. This is what I do at midnight when I have a wide awake baby. Watch "mommy" shows!

October Birthday's Wilcox Style

Whenever Matt and I go on a plane, we always stop by Gustav's in the airport. It's always the official start of our vacation, and in this case our official start of drinking...

Let the birthday weekend start! We arrived in Vegas, and started our tour of Casinos. I think we both had a combined 5 hours of sleep between us, and had been drinking since 1:00 in the afternoon. I'm pretty sure this photo was taken around 1:00 am. Let's just say that we slept in the next morning. While we were sleeping...Matt's parents flew into Vegas! My husband is not afraid to admit that he likes to celebrate with his mom and step dad. This photo was taken about 10 minutes and 460 feet up before I remembered how much I hate heights! Matt and his parents stayed atop the Eiffel Tower, and I took the next elevator down. I was glad to know that another wife was doing the same thing. Matt took some great pictures of the view from above, but I can't figure out how to upload the pictures from his new camera. We eat dinner about twice a month at a Mexican Restaurant that gives Parker his drink in a cowboy boot cup. When I saw these for sale on Fremont Street, I "made" Matt get one for Parker. It was a lot of beer! He actually dumped a good amount of it out in the end.

We have many more pictures with their stories, but they are on the other camera.

I will post them soon.

October Birthdays Grafe Family Style

The 30 year old with his boys!

(technically he still had a week to go)

The famous "kids" table.

I was more than happy to join them this month! Parker took this great picture of Matt and Benji blowing out candles.

Easting Angel Food cake is a very serious task. I was so pleased to see Uncle Mark excited about his "Uncle Mark Bug" that Parker made him. I think I overheard him say that he had never received a homemade card like it before. Nice work Parky!

Benji got some Batman toys....

Auntie Sarah got some $$ for a new laptop...

Matt got $$ for Vegas and a new camera...

BUT

Uncle Mark got a CHAINSAW!! Good 'ol grown up toys!

I know everyone complains about getting together once a month to celebrate birthdays, but I love it! We are all so busy with our lives it's a great excuse to relax and catch up with everyone.

Unless of course the party's at your house.

Then you have to accommodate 4 generations of Grafe's